The Vampire Prince, Book I: The Nightingale Throne
by WhiteRoseFlame
Summary: Kalin Nightingale was living as an adopted, teenage boy in Seoul, South Korea...That is, until he learned he was actually a long lost vampire prince who is prophesied to bring peace to the world's chaotic and shrouded past. My own, original story that I had no where else to publish. So here it lies. Better summary inside!
1. Synopsis

The Vampire Prince

Legend I: The Nightingale Throne

**Synopsis**

The whole world thinks that myths and legends are just that, fictitious stories. That's a lie. The truth is, all of ancient history was just written off as myths and legends (or made up completely), to hide all of the darkness and corruption. The truth is, the world was, and still is, full of mystical and fantastic creatures that we thought were only in story books. These great, ancient beings believed that humanity could not handle such a world in the future. And so, ancient mythology and the world's true nature were hidden away by centuries and centuries of partially made up history, forever hidden in the shadows of time. That is, until the child of prophecy was born...

Kalin Nightingale is a teenager with British nationality living with adoptive parents in Seoul, South Korea. He has always been at the bud of jokes and the victim of harassment simply because of his blond hair and blue eyes. Often he has been described as "a Brit with a Korean accent". More so, he isn't exactly what you would call "school valedictorian". He has an unending, undying love for fantasy. Whether it is manga, anime, or novels from Japan, France, or the States, he loves it all. So imagine his reaction when one day after the end of his last year of middle school he gets attacked by people too odd to be human.

Kalin's life is turned on end after he learns of his mysterious heritage and a prophecy that tells of him bringing peace to the ancient world of the supernatural.

_**The prince has returned, and he's ready to become a king…**_

_**This is the legend of **_

_**The Vampire Prince.**_

**{†}**


	2. The First

Life isn't too bad when you're an adopted child living in Seoul, South Korea surrounded by people who all look the same. Only when you are a British, adopted child with blond hair and blue eyes, living in Seoul, South Korea surrounded by people who all look the same (except for you!), does life get bad. Of course being obsessed with fantasy and daydreaming tones down the "suck-factor" of the entire situation, since when you're a "fiction-fanatic" like me you tend to daydream…_**a lot!**_

By now, the average person would have deduced that this scenario pertains to me, so I'm just going to assume that you have too. My name is Kalin Nightingale. A strange name, I know. But it's my name none the less and I've learned to live with it. Bottom line? I can't change it, so there's no use in fretting over it. Like the French say, "That's life". However, it is a pain strutting around Seoul with blond hair (that has a slightly spiky style to it) and blue eyes and a Korean accent. "A Brit with a Korean accent". That's what everyone at school calls me, even though I was adopted as a baby and have lived here all my life.

I'm sixteen (fifteen in Western years), average height (about five-five, five-six), and I just finished middle school. Safe to say I barely made it with mostly B's and C's. I'm not the sharpest tool in the shed, but, hey, I can pull my own weight most of the time. Am I a victim of bullying? Yeah, sure. Do I care what others think of me? No, not really. Not as long as I have my beloved fantasy books to help me ignore all of the other students' crap. Although that's what gets me into trouble most of the time (i.e. reading in class).

Overall, my life is pretty boring. Especially since I'm into the whole fantasy-fiction, monsters and ghouls thing. I live for excitement. But it doesn't help when nothing interesting ever happens in my life.

That is, until today.

Today, a Sunday afternoon, I was walking home from my favorite bookstore (buying fantasy books, of course) when, out of nowhere, two older, yet young-looking females appeared in front of me. They were slim and slender with deathly pale skin and long flowing black hair. Their eyes were a glowing auburn and gold and seemed to pierce through the air and into my mind, into my heart. They were dressed like they were going to a cosplay convention. They wore knee-high black boots, black boot-cut pants, white blouses with cuffs and collars that matched their skin tone, long black coats, and thick, black, hooded cloaks held together by large, silver-blue gems at the base of their necks. They definitely looked like something I had seen and read about in one of the manga series I read. Only they were real and right in front of me.

I was about to open my mouth and say something smart and cocky, like, "Nice costumes. Is it Halloween already?" or "Hey, where's the convention? Can I come? I just need to get my warlock's costume from home," when they hissed and snarled at me, baring four white, inch-long incisors and charged at me.

"Shit!" I swore while turning and making a run for it.

Thank god I was in a more rural area of Seoul, because if someone were to see me dashing down the street, holding a bag full of fantasy novels and running from two Gothic-looking women with fangs, I would have been admitted into an asylum.

I was pretty athletic. I played soccer and basketball and knew Taekwondo. I could run pretty fast, but these chicks were like cross-country track stars! I was running as fast as I possibly could and they were right on my tail and not even breaking a sweat. Me on the other hand, my lungs were burning and the muscles in my legs ached. I would definitely get Charlie Horses later. I drifted around a corner and down an alleyway, almost crashing into the right wall in the process. They swiftly followed me down the shaded corridors that were littered with overflowing dumpsters and papers scattered along the ground. I exited the alley and made a left, then another left, and then a right. Still, they kept up with me.

I spotted a fire escape on an apartment building and flew up it to the roof. I was hoping that the rooftops would be connected together, but once I got up there and to the edge of the building I saw that it was at least a twenty foot leap to the next rooftop. I turned around only to find that the two women were right behind me. They stood upright and proper with smug looks on their faces that had "Got ya now!" written all over them. They weren't even breathing hard.

By now I was thinking something like, "What the hell _are_ these broads?" I had an idea of what, but that didn't mean that I was going to admit it. Reality and fantasy were meant to be separate and I wasn't going to ruin that experience with one simple idea that they were, in fact, _not _separate.

So I decided to talk myself out of this insane situation.

"Alright, so maybe we can just, you know, talk this out. Whatever is was that I did, I'm sorry, it won't happen again, I promise. So if you gals could just let me go that would be-"

And then one of them lunged at me.

Instinctively, I ducked. The woman sailed over me and over to the next building. However, she didn't have enough air and crashed into the edge of the building, then fell down a full five stories and sliced her back on a sharp, rod-looking thing sticking out of a dumpster. The woman landed on her stomach wailing and hissing in pain. She reared her head, bared her fangs, and was incinerated on the spot.

"Holy shit!" I swore again, stumbling back.

Then, I was tackled to the ground by the second one. She flipped me over and pinned me to the ground with my hands above my head. She sneered at me and lowered her head down until her small, thin nose was only an inch or so away from my own. Adrenaline coursed through my veins and my muscles bunched together. I was helpless underneath her iron grip. I did the only thing I could think of to do and screamed my lungs out. I yelled and squirmed trying futilely to free myself from her. Then, I caught sight of her golden-auburn eyes and stopped the entire racket instantly. I panted exhaustedly as I stared up into her eyes. She closed the distance between my face and hers and placed her thin, pinkish lips on mine. I went brain dead from shock, exhaustion, and lack of will and resolve. Once she was finished with my lips she moved down my jaw to my neck. She kissed and nipped at my soft flesh, flicking her tongue across it from time to time as though she wanted to taste me like one would taste a new flavor of ice cream. Strangely, I was completely calm as she did all of this.

At least, until she sunk her incisors into my jugular.

I couldn't scream like I wanted to. All I could do is gasp and tense up as she drew blood from my veins. Then, suddenly, she stopped. She released her grasp on my neck and rose up. She clutched her heart with one hand and her throat with another. She snarled and cried out like she had been poisoned and, just like the other, burst into flames, scattering dark ashes across my legs and rooftop.

I whirled around and scrambled away from the pile of ash, then collapsed on all fours and clutched my bleeding neck.

_I'm gonna die! _I yelled in my head. _I'm gonna die if I don't stop bleeding! Oh god, please stop! I don't wanna die like this!_

Unexpectedly, I felt a slight twinge in my neck where the woman had bitten me, like the skin around my neck was pulling over the wound. When it stopped I pulled my hands away cautiously and looked at them. They were bloody and dirty. I used the back of my right hand, which was clean and swiped it across my neck. There was no blood. The bleeding had stopped miraculously. By that time, I was scared out of my wits.

I bolted up, grabbed my bag filled with books, and made a mad dash for home.

When I got home, I sneaked around to the backyard and washed the blood off of my hands and face. Then I went back around to the front and walked through the door. My dad, Kim Sungkyun, was sitting on the couch reading a news paper. My mom, Lee Yunna, was getting ready to make dinner. I raced up the stairs before they could say anything. Of course, they knew all too well of my fantasy obsession and just let me be. I changed my clothes and threw the ones I had on before in the hamper. I flopped down on my bed, clutching my new books to my chest and repeatedly thought to myself "That didn't happen. That didn't happen. Things like that only happen in fantasies. That did not happen."

And yet, there was a part of me that couldn't deny that it had in fact happened. That same part of me was on edge just thinking about it.

Kalin Nightingale, the fantasy freak, was attacked by two, bloodthirsty vampire chicks.

Tell me why I knew that wasn't a good sign but didn't give rat's ass if it was or not. My life was about to get much more exciting, and I didn't even know it…


	3. The Second

Eventually I had calmed down enough to read until dinnertime. Dinner went by quickly. My parents asked me about the books I had bought and if there were any others I was planning on getting in the future. I kept the afternoon's events to myself, however. What they didn't know couldn't hurt them, I figured. Why make them worry that their adoptive son was becoming a target for vampires? Because, in their adoptive son's eyes, he was perfectly fine. Am I crazy? Maybe. Was I so bored out of my mind and so obsessed with fantasy that I would gladly allow myself to be attacked by vampires and/or other bloodthirsty, supernatural beings (may or may they not show themselves)? You bet your ass I was. Like I said earlier, I live for excitement. And a living, breathing, fantasy monster is more excitement than I could have hoped for.

Alright, so I'm not some daredevil, juvenile delinquent or something. I'm normally, believe it or not, a well behaved, obedient young adult. However, I will admit that the constant bullying and putting down I received at school did have a somewhat unnatural effect on me. Instead of making me self-conscious, their taunts and titters only made me more self-confident and sure of myself. I strove to be better than everyone else. Better than all of their venom-filled sarcasm and smart-ass remarks. Sure, I'll admit, I have a foul mouth some-er, _most_-of the time, but that's not the point. I'm strong and unique in my own right, and none of the others have any right to say otherwise.

So what am I like normally? Strangely, I'm normally a funny, optimistic, fun-filled fantasy-nerd who normal people would die to hang out with. I'm energetic most of the times, save for when I'm reading. I care about my friends and parents more than anything else and would die for them. I love learning new things, even things that don't pertain to fantasy. But when it does, I get obsessive and tend to go on about what I've learned for hours. My parents know this side of me the best. They happily and willingly listen to my rants and raves about some awesome fight I read about between a dragon and a hero equipped with only a golden sword or about a war between the Greek gods and the Titans. Actually, they get a kick out of my tendency to act out my favorite scenes. So, all in all, I put on a tough front, but underneath, I'm just a big softie. A likeable and attractive quality, if I do say so myself.

But I digress…

Anyway, after dinner, I went upstairs and got in some more reading time before hitting the hay. My dreams were filled with fantasies and mythical beings; just how I like them. The next morning, I woke up and went through my daily routine like nothing in particular had happened the previous day. But, secretly, my mind raced. By the time I had taken a shower, eaten breakfast, and brushed my teeth, I had come up with about five different scenarios for the day's events. I won't bore you with them. It would take me far too long to describe them. My normal, natural schedule for the day was to hit the library.

And so I did.

I spent the better part of four and a half hours on the computer and reading and picking out books that looked even remotely interesting to me, only to reshelf half of them and check out the rest. In other words, I had a field day.

As I was walking back from the library, I didn't bother to watch my back. Whatever was coming, I was going to let it come. And, sure enough, it did.

I felt a light, fragile hand land on my shoulder. I turned around to see a taller man dressed similarly to the two women yesterday glaring down at me. I could see four others dressed the same way behind him.

"Hey," he said in Korean. "Are you the bastard who killed my sisters yesterday?"

"Why?" I spit back. "Who wants to know? It's not like they were anything special anyway."

Yep, I am one crazy ass guy.

The guy grabbed the front and back of my shirt and jacket, making me drop my books, and flung me back towards the others. The second guy from the right caught me by the neck in mid air and choke-slammed me into the pavement. The air whooshed out of my lungs and I struggled to regain my breath. Another guy picked me up by my hair until I was standing weakly and roundhouse kicked me in the stomach sending me flying back. The first guy lifted his leg and kicked me in the back, forcing me to the ground again with no air in my lungs.

I coughed, hacked, and gasped until I could breathe somewhat efficiently. The first guy nudged my side with his foot, knocking me over onto my back. I saw him about to cave my chest in with his foot and moved my hands just in time to dampen the blow. I was struggling to keep his foot off of my chest cavity when something flew above me and into the guy's shoulder. He growled in pain and staggered back, clutching his shoulder. I saw that it was an arrow.

This was getting exciting.

Then, suddenly, I heard the roaring of a car engine. I looked back to see a white, Dodge Camaro speeding down the street like a Nascar racing car only without all the bumper stickers. At first I thought it was going to run me over. But then, after knocking down three of the four other guys, it swerved in a circle around me, knocking down the guy with the arrow in his shoulder. The Camaro stopped with the back door behind me. It clacked open and suddenly I was pulled in by a pair of small, yet strong, arms.

By that time, I was hyperventilating. The car had to be going at least sixty miles an hour and I was lying down in the back seat staring up out the window breathing like _I_ was going sixty miles an hour. Every inch of my body ached. Colours flew before my eyes. I felt like I was going to have a heart attack if I didn't calm down. I had definitely gotten more that I bargained for. Then, I felt my head lift up and gently fall back down onto someone's lap. Soft, feminine hands caressed my face and stroked my messy hair. I heard a sweet voice cooing soothing words at me. Eventually my breathing slowed and I calmed down enough to avert my eyes upwards to see a small nose, thin lips, and sparkling blackish orbs floating above me. Her eyes and face were somehow comforting to look at. So, not knowing what else to do, I laid there and looked up at her, trying to focus on keeping calm.

Then I heard a male voice call back from the driver's seat over the roar of the engine. "Hey! Is he okay?"

The girl looked over at the boy. "Yeah, I think so. He's just shaken up."

They were speaking Korean and couldn't have been much older than myself.

Finally, I was able to speak. "What's going on?"

"We just saved your ass from five angry vampires! That's what's going on!" the boy shouted.

"Ignore him. He's just on an adrenaline rush," the girl looked back down at me.

"Where are you taking me?"

"Somewhere safe," she said.

That was fine with me. I had had my share of excitement for now. No more crazy, stupid stunts for a while.


	4. The Third

We stopped at what looked like an abandoned medieval mansion. It was white and huge with intricate carvings. The inside was even bigger. It almost resembled the White House in the States. It was almost as if there were more rooms than there was ceiling.

As the three of us entered the mansion's parlour room, I saw something I _was not_ expecting.

My eyes bugged out of my head. "Mom? Dad?"

"Kalin!" my mother breathed in relief. She rushed up to me and hugged me tightly. "We were so worried about you! Are you alright?"

"Y-yeah. But," I stuttered. "What are you guys doing here?"

"We found out you were attacked by vampires," my dad said. "Why didn't you tell us yesterday?"

"Well what was I supposed to say? 'Hey, Mom, Dad, guess what? I was attacked by vampires today! Strange, huh?' Don't think so!"

"He's got a point," the boy that drove the Camaro said.

"Hush, you!" my dad said, more exasperated than angry. "They're the ones who told us. They saw the two female vampires chasing you yesterday. The girl is Choi Mai and the boy is Jeong Taehyung. Mai is half vampire, half hunter and Taehyung is a hunter."

I looked back and forth between my parents and the two I had just met. Vampires and now vampire _hunters._ My life had certainly taken a strange turn down the road to Fantasy Central. Already, I was thinking of a dozen different tracks that this situation may take. One of them being that I'm actually related to Van Helsing. Or worse, Dracula. Maybe both. But that's just me being crazy again.

"You're serious?" I said to my dad.

"Yes. Yes, I am," he nodded.

I had a funny feeling… "So…what am I?"

My parents, Mai and Taehyung all looked at each other.

"You're like Mai. Half vampire and half vampire hunter," Dad explained. "Furthermore, your father, your _real _father, was vampire royalty. Your mother was the daughter of a member of a feared group of hunters, one of which members was Van Helsing."

Damn, I'm good…Well, almost.

"Wait. So, you're saying that I'm a…a _prince?"_

"Yes, that's right," Dad nodded again.

"Funny. I don't remember craving _blood_."

Dad sighed. "That scar on your left shoulder?"

"Yeah?" He was talking about an apparent cross-shaped scar from a burn that I had gotten when I was too young to remember things. They hadn't told me exactly what happened. Not that I cared…up till now.

"It's not a scar. It's a seal that suppresses your vampric qualities. Your mother placed it on you before she died."

That last part was like a blow to my gut. A harder blow, even, than the ones delivered to me by the vampires earlier. Here I was, finally learning about my real parents, and I learn that my mother, the woman who birthed me, was dead. It was just completely and utterly unfair.

"How…did she die…?" I asked painfully.

"For a human woman to birth someone like you, a damphir, and live isn't as common as you might think or want to believe. Most of the time the child is too strong and its powers are too potent. It puts strain on the mother's body. But what matters is that you know that it was not your fault. Even though hunters are different from regular humans, it is still a difficult process, birthing a damphir. It is simply nature at work I'm afraid."

My head sunk low. I felt a hand on my shoulder and looked over. Taehyung had a look on his face that said the same thing as my dad had said. "It wasn't your fault." I looked over at Mai. She had a look of empathy. I wondered if she had gone through the same thing.

I looked back up at my dad. "Is my father still alive?"

He opened his mouth then shut it again, thinking something over. He raised his hand and wagged a finger at me. "I should probably tell you this first. You aren't from this era of time. You _were_ born here. However, your parents were from an era of time way before any civilizations any sort of solid national identities. This era was known for its times of darkness and the supernatural. This is the era where the mythology of the world was developed in order to hide the immense amount of darkness and evil and ideologies that, now days, is considered ludicrous and impossible."

"So you're saying that there were no Greek or Egyptian gods and what not?" That had to be one of my worst nightmares.

"Not the kind that text books describe. Often have hunters, vampires, and other mystical beings been mistaken for gods. Alongside that, some historians and civilizations merely made up gods and stories to mask over the darkness of the truth." He noticed my bummed out look and shifted the conversation. "Anyway, back to your question. You're father isn't alive in this era. However, in the era in which you are truly from, he is most definitely alive and kicking and will be for the next few hundred years, maybe longer."

That was uplifting and confusing at the time. It meant that there was still the chance that I could meet him. However, there was the issue of time traveling.

"Maybe you should tell him now," Mai said to Dad.

"Ah, yes. The most important part." Dad cleared his throat and continued. "You see, there are hundreds of different clans flourishing in different countries back in your time. Each clan of vampires rules and governs a different area of their country. It's almost as if, by gaining rule over that area, they've established their own civilization. The thing is, in this civilization there are only vampires and other mythical beings living within it. The only humans who live there are servants of the ruling clan or some high class household or people who are relatives to a group of beings living there. Hunters are only allowed to live there if they agree work directly for the ruling clan.

Also, civilizations ruled by vampires, as well as other beings, have a monarchical system. Royalty at the top, followed by the Elders, the Priests, military commanders, and commoners. Servants are at the bottom however, they are not treated as 'slaves'. They are either treated as part of the family or trusted associates. The common people can be split up into three groups: the lower class, middle class, and the higher class. However, they are not usually treated as such. All commoners most usually have equal rights. Class is determined by bloodlines and the like. And the rulers, of course, are the appointed king and queen of the ruling clan. Your clan, Kalin, is the Nightingale Clan of Great Britain; London, if I remember correctly. Your father is the current king's brother, Alistair Nightingale. Your uncle, the king, is Victor Nightingale. Your mother's name was Rosaline Lestrade. Your parents were never married. Too many complications. Him being royalty and her being a hunter."

I sighed. My head was swimming. "That's a lot to take in."

"And that was only the beginning," Taehyung said.

I groaned.

"It's alright," my mom said. "Take your time.

My dad continued. "As of current events in that time, your clan is in the middle of a heated conflict with a Korean clan of vampires called the ShangYi Clan; a conflict that has existed for hundreds of years. But there is a prophecy that says that a young male damphir of the Nightingale Clan would be able to relieve this conflict on the coming of his sixteenth anniversary. You were believed to be this child. The ShangYi caught wind of your imminent birth and so your mother, while still carrying you, was sent here to this era and sealed so the ShangYi wouldn't be to able find you. She had travelled to this time once before and met us, fellow hunters of hers. She trusted us greatly and decided to leave you in our care when she died. Now, the seal is starting to break. The vampires you encountered were members of the ShangYi. They were looking for you; however they couldn't accurately identify you because of your seal. So it's safe to say they don't know that it was, in fact, you."

"There is another thing," Taehyung said. "The prophecy is so old that most of your clan has discarded it and labelled it false. The only ones alive who know that you are the child of the prophecy, or even a damphir at that, is your father and your grandfather, the previous king, Julian Nightingale. Other than that, you're considered the Nightingales' 'lost prince'. You're believed to be dead."

I gulped. "My birthday is this Friday…" July twenty-first. Why did that date sound so menacing right now? "Why do I get the feeling that the seal my mother put on me is due to break on that day?"

"Good thing you read all those fantasy stories now, huh?" I knew my dad was teasing me.

I shook my head. "So let me get this straight. As soon as the seal breaks all of these vampires from the ShangYi Clan or whatever will come and try to kill me? How do we prevent that?"

"Simple," Mai said. "We train you in the ways of vampirism and then send you back home with your clan so you can find some way to make peace with the ShangYi. After all, that's what Lady Rosaline had planned for you."

"I thought I was supposed to be dead."

"You just let us handle that," Dad said. "But for now, all we can do is wait until the seal breaks."


	5. The Fourth

The next three days were slow and full of anxiety. All I did was stay in that same mansion, waiting until Friday. Also, my dad, Mai, and Taehyung took to teaching me all the different facts and myths of vampirism. As it turns out, vampires aren't as evil as everyone thinks they are…

"The first thing you should know about vampires," my dad had said. "Is that they can't just live on blood alone. However, they do need a certain amount to survive. Other than that, they eat the same things that humans do."

"And why is that?" I had asked.

"Vampires are simply humans who evolved differently than others," Mai continued. "Their bodies work differently than normal humans. Their bodies can't take in nutrients as well as humans. Therefore, they need a source that's rich in vitamins and minerals. That source is blood, since it carries nutrients to every part of the body. A vampire's digestive system has the power to draw the essential nutrients out of the blood they drink and take them into their own bloodstream."

Taehyung picked up from there. "Since no human eats exactly the same, vampires will take long periods of time choosing a person to drink from. They always try to pick one that's healthy and eats well. Not one that eats candy and sweets constantly. Also, vampires never kill the people they drink from. They treat them respectively and gratefully."

"But don't they change into vampires themselves?"

"That," my dad said, "is one thing that vampires have control over. Their fangs contain a type of liquid, a poison, which contains the DNA code for vampirism. When a vampire wants to change a human, he or she injects the poison into the human's bloodstream. It then permeates the body's cells and the vampirism codon is inserted into the person's DNA. A vampire can also choose to 'blood', as it's called, a human halfway or completely. Either way, the vampire always has control over whether or not they blood a human. Of course, they can also do it subconsciously or on accident. In addition, humans who are only half blooded are called 'halflings'. Humans that have been fully blooded are called 'fledglings'."

"So I'll have fangs?"

"Yes, but you'll be able to extract or retract them at will," Mai said.

"Will I have, like, red eyes and white skin?"

"You'll be pale, but not as pale as full-blooded vampires. And as for the eyes, no. Your eyes will be the same colour as they are now. Maybe slightly shiny or silvery looking, but not red," answered Taehyung.

"The only time your eyes will change colour is when the starvation process starts," Dad said.

"What's that?"

"That's when you go for long periods of time without drinking blood," Taehyung explained. "The first stage is where you start to feel weak and light-headed. In the second stage, your eyes will start to turn a golden-auburn or topaz colour and your skin will turn even paler than normal. The third stage, your eyes will turn to a violet-magenta colour and your skin will have a lavender hue. The last stage, before you eventually die of blood starvation, your eyes will start to turn black and the lavender colour of your skin turns to a violet-purple. And, well, we won't get into what happens when you die."

"Yeesh! That's harsh!" Then I realized the two female vampires' eyes were golden-auburn. They must have been deprived of blood.

"Other things you will want to know about vampires is that they are considerably stronger, faster, and more aware than humans, and they can use magic, sorcery, and necromancy just like hunters can. However, hunters can use their spiritual energy while vampires can't. Their spiritual energy is different. It's unstable. Magic and the like are the safest things that vampires can manage. Also, vampires have heightened senses and an advanced 'sixth sense' that's more like intuition or clairvoyance. You'll have all of this too. However, since you're part hunter, you'll be able to use spirit energy. Just make sure you don't do it in the palace or around people who know who you are," said Mai

"Remember," Taehyung reminded. "Everyone will think you're a full vampire. If they found out you're not, it could cause problems."

"Why? Are they prejudiced against people like me?"

"Some are and some aren't. Every vampire is different, just like every human is different. It will be safer and easier if everyone assumes you're a full-blooded vampire," Dad said.

"So you said that blooded humans are either called halflings or fledglings. What are vampires who were born that way called?"

"You and I are called damphirs because we were born as half vampires. On the other hand, vampires who half been blooded half way are also called 'half-bloods'. Also, full-blooded vampires and vampires who are born as full vampires are both called 'true-bloods'," Mai answered.

Then Taehyung added, "And as far as vampire safety goes, stay away from crosses, holy water, too much garlic, and if you get stabbed with silver don't keep it to yourself. Also, cat, wolf, bat, spider, and dragon's blood are all poisonous to vampires, as well as another vampire's blood. However, with most of this stuff, you'll only suffer mild effects and will actually have time to be saved, whereas true-bloods would die instantly. But, there's a catch. Skin contact with items such as crosses, holy water and garlic will only cause the mild effects. But if you ingest them or they make contact with your blood, well, you're screwed. Cat's blood and dragon's blood, if you drink them, you'll die instantly, even if you are a half-blood or damphir. The other types of poisonous blood, you'll have time. As far as silver, if you get stabbed or cut you'll have to act fast because if you don't you'll be gone within a day to two days tops. Got all this?"

"Yeah, I think so."

"Anyway," Dad sighed. "I think that's all for now. If there's anything else you need to know along the way, we'll tell you then."

It was certainly a lot to learn and remember. But my determination and enthusiasm made learning all of it a lot easier. Friday finally came, and by midnight I had gone from a dorky, baby-faced teenager to a mature, chiselled _vampire _teenager. Major difference, I tell you. I was standing in front of the mirror, waiting for it to happen. Then, one minute I was normal and the next minute I was exotic. It was like I had gone through years of puberty in mere seconds, and then some.

My face and jaw line went from rounded and cute to strong and tough. My eyes weren't as big and round. I could see my shoulder blades through my t-shirt. I was more muscular, yet fragile-looking at the same time. My shoulders and chest were broad and powerful. I was sure I had grown about an inch and a half too. My hair looked softer and healthier and slightly thicker. My lips seemed to look more of a peach colour than before. But the most extraordinary things were my skin and eyes. My sky blue eyes now had slight tinges of navy blue and seemed to sparkle and swirl if I looked at them for long enough. My skin looked pale, but not too pale. It was like looking at moonlight.

I was beautiful, and I was strong. I was everything I had always wanted to be-felt like I _should_ have been. For once in my life, I felt complete; like nothing was missing. Everything was in place.

And then, I felt homesick. Not for the normal, simple house that belonged to my adoptive parents. But for somewhere else. Somewhere where every day was as exotic and exciting as I was now. Somewhere I had never known existed…

I turned to my parents and my soon to be best friends and said, "I want to go home…Where my _real _family is…"

They smiled.

"All in due time, Kalin Nightingale. But first, you must learn to survive in the dark and harsh world that awaits your return."

And so my training started. But I won't tell you about it. It would spoil the action that comes later in the story…


	6. The Fifth

My whole body was on overdrive. I had to keep my hands clenched together just to keep them from shaking. My knees were knocking together. I couldn't stop chewing my bottom lip. Every part of me felt like it was twitching madly.

It was a week after my seventeenth-nope, wait, sorry, _sixteenth_ (keep forgetting I won't be going by the Asian counting system anymore)-birthday. I had learned everything there was to know about vampires and magic and everything else I never knew existed. It took a long time, it seemed, but I had done it. And now it was time for me to return home.

Safe to say I was freaking out.

Everything was set. Taehyung and Mai would be going with me and my adoptive parents would be staying here to keep Seoul safe from whatever mystical beings still existed, which was quite a lot, I found out. I was sad to be leaving them, and yet I knew it was what had to happen. I was grateful for everything they had done for me. However, I still felt like this wouldn't be the last time I saw them. After all, vampires can live for centuries. And even then, they can use their knowledge of magic to travel between eras. The odds that I _wouldn't_ see them again were slim to none.

And yet, I was still freaking out.

So there I stood, between Taehyung and Mai; dressed in knee-high, heeled black boots with buckled at the top, black pants with the legs tucked in to my boots, a white collared dress shirt with no buttons, tucked into my pants, with midnight blue and auburn cuff links, a black cloth sash around my waist, and a long, black, hooded cloak fastened around my shoulders by a gem the same colour as the cuff links at my wrists; and trembling like I had hypothermia. Also, my slightly wild hair had been tamed and pushed back somewhat so that the only part of hair that was in my face was my small fold of bangs that liked to hang over my right temple. However, the ends still liked to flip upwards so my hair still looked slightly wind-tossed and feathery. I felt like Dracula as a teenager on speed. Then, I felt a familiar hand slip into mine.

I looked to my left. Mai was looking at me reassuringly. She wasn't smiling. Just looking at me. I found that she had a way of doing that; conveying a message or her feelings only with the look in her eyes. It was a comforting quality of hers that I had really taken a liking to. Later on, I had realized that this was the same thing that she had done when she and Taehyung had saved me. It must have been some natural, motherly quality that she had. I had only known her for two weeks and she already felt like an older sister to me, even though she was about two or three inches shorter than me. She was two and a half years older than me; almost nineteen. Her long, black hair fell like silk around her face and shoulders. She really did look like part vampire, part hunter with her pale skin, shining black eyes and combat-ready attire. She squeezed my hand and I squeezed back, already feeling better.

Then I felt Taehyung's hand on my right shoulder. I looked over to see him with his signature confident, yet smug, grin on his face. He nodded at me. He was more like my best friend than a brother. He was rowdy and rambunctious most of the times, but when it came to the mystical world he was all business. He was only a few months older than me. His chocolate-brown-dyed hair laid flat on his head and fell down over his eyes. He was both scrawny and built at the same time. He almost looked like a Korean version of Hannibal King from Blade Trinity. I found that interesting. With the two of them comforting me, my anxiety faded away completely.

The three of us and my parents were standing in the backyard of the mansion. "Are you ready?" my dad asked me. I nodded.

He turned to my mom and nodded at her. They faced each other and raised their hands. They started chanting some spell in Latin and the wind picked up around us. A ball of white, red, and black light formed between them then burst into a dark-looking portal that swirled like a vortex.

My parents nodded at Mai and Taehyung.

"You guys know what to do!" my dad shouted. "Hurry up and go!"

With no hesitation, the three of us raced forward and through the swirling vortex and into the unknown…

London was dark, mystical, and beautiful. It was exotic and supernatural and every other big word I've used so far. It was like places I had only dreamed of. There were artistically crafted buildings spread as far as the eye could see, like something out of a history text book. There were dark, brick roads and old-fashioned street lamps that had to be lit one by one by hand each evening. The air was alive with different scents and auras, some familiar and some that I couldn't quite put my finger on. There were street markets and vendors and merchants selling fresh fruits and vegetables, spices that stimulated the senses, and intriguing and curious items and antiques. It was everything I could have ever dreamed of in a fantasy world. And there, far off on the horizon, was the largest castle I had ever seen. Its architecture was exquisite and sophisticated. Tall towers rose and stretched to touch and scrape at the clear blue sky. Stained glass windows gleamed in the sunlight in the distance. It was unfathomably large and most likely had even more parts to it that what was visible from where I stood. Archways, roofing tiles, and carvings; everything was so old-fashioned and gothic looking, not like a church or cathedral, but simply like an old, ancient palace. It was a grand and proud looking structure. And perched on the highest point of the castle was a large statue of a nightingale bird. It was like I had fallen through a manga version of a history textbook into the past. I found myself holding back tears.

"Welcome home, Prince Kalin," I heard Taehyung say.

I would remember those words for the rest of my new life.

I felt Mai tug on my hand. "Come on. We still have to get you into the palace. Put your hood up too."

It took us the better part of an hour or so (at least, I think) to get to the front gate of the palace. The front gate was huge and made of iron and bore what I assumed to be my family's crest. It was a silver shield with a blue and golden-yellow nightingale bird flying up towards the moon while holding a rainbow rose. Honestly? I never knew there were actually rainbow roses. Look them up. They actually exist. Although, I think they're artificially coloured…Anyway, there were two guards standing on either side of the gate. They were big but not overly built. One had stubble on his chin. They stopped us at the gate.

"Please state your business within Palace Nightingale," one demanded. It was a good thing I knew English.

"Palace Nightingale". That sent chills up my spine.

"We seek an audience with the Royal Family," Mai said.

"Oh?" said the other guard. "Why so?"

"About a lost prince of the Nightingale bloodline," Taehyung answered.

The two guards looked at each other and laughed.

"Oh yeah? Is that who _he's _supposed to be?" the first snickered. "Prove it."

Suddenly, my hood was whipped off and I looked up to meet the guards' eyes. They recoiled and blanched. I got the feeling that most of the Nightingale Clan looked like me.

"Uh, y-yes," the second guard stuttered. "Luke, would you be so kind as to show these kind people into the palace?"

"M-my pleasure. Right this way."

And so the gates were opened and the guard called Luke led us in. The palace looked even more intriguing and humongous up close. I would have counted to see how long it took us to reach our destination, however I was too busy admiring the inside of the palace to pay attention. The inside was well lit by both sunlight and lamplight. One other thing I learned about vampires was that they weren't as insusceptible to sunlight as people thought they were. Sure, they burned easier than humans, but it wasn't like they would be killed instantly by it. Golden and navy blue tapestries hung from every window and wall, the Nightingale crest sewn into their fabric. Some of the walls were white, some were a light blue, and some were a yellowish golden-brown. There were pictures, paintings, and other works of art strewn out through the palace, some of distinguished figures, some of beautiful landscapes, and others of simpler themes yet still pleasant to the eye. The place was lined with exquisite windows and large balconies and clear, incredible courtyard views. We even passed a set of windows that overlooked a large garden filled with a wide variety of exotic flowers and leafy plants, as well as numerous marble and granite stone benches, fountains, and birdbaths. Numerous scents drifted throughout the endless corridors and hallways, some sweet, some spicy, others clean and welcoming. The stairwells were lined with bronze and golden railings and even more tapestries and portraits. Each corridor led to somewhere different. Where, I had not the slightest clue, the palace was so impossible huge, I couldn't even begin to describe where exactly I was. Servants and other residents of the palace scurried around, going about their daily business. I picked out a few people who looked similar to each other and wondered if they were members of my clan. The ambience of the palace told of mystery and untold stories. It was all too much to take in at once.

Eventually, the guard led us to a large set of double doors with the Nightingale crest on them. He motioned for us to wait and knocked on the doors. A deep and menacing voice called for him to enter and he did. He opened the doors and shut them so fast I couldn't see inside. He began conversing with whoever was inside I only caught parts of the conversation. Things like "lost prince", "come back from the tomb", and something that sounded like "looks exactly like him". It was a long while before the guard came back and I began to get fidgety. When the doors clacked open the guard poked his head through the doors.

"His Royal Majesty is not in as of now. However, one of the Elders shall see you instead."

He stepped aside and opened the doors wide. The room resembled a very large office. The entire back wall was nothing but arched windows, a couple of them with window seats with blue velvet cushions lain on top of them. The curtains were made of a thick, golden material. In front of the windows was a large, oak desk littered with pieces of parchment and stacks of documents as well as vials of black ink and feather pens like you see in pictures of colonial times in the States. The walls were a golden cream color and the carpet was a deep blue, the colors of the Nightingale Clan. There were couches and love seats adorned with blankets, pillows, and cushions and a glass coffee table with a silver tea tray with white porcelain china cups and a tea pot, bowls of sugar cubes, vials of milk and cream, and a pot of honey sat next to it. Standing behind the oak desk was a tall, older man with long blond hair in a ponytail and shining blue eyes. He had a small, well-kempt beard and pale skin. He was wearing gray, knee-high, heeled boots, navy blue pants, a white collared shirt, and a long, British dress coat from the colonial times. In a strange way, he looked like an older, more handsome me. When he saw me his eyes widened and he motioned for the guard to leave. The guard bowed and left without a word.

"My heavens," the man said in a British accent, coming out from behind the desk and walking up to me. "You do look like him." He looked me over and walked around me. I felt like I was on display. "You're almost a perfect match." His voice was different from when I heard him on the outside. He didn't sound as serious and frightening. He stopped in front of me again. "And your name would be?"

I glanced at either of my friends. They nodded. I gulped and took a deep breath. "Kalin, sir. Kalin Nightingale."

"Well, bloody hell," he smiled, flashing some of his teeth. "It is you. Then I suppose I should introduce myself." He stuck his hand out. "Julian Nightingale, your father's father."

I wondered if it was possible for a vampire to turn even paler without being starved. If not, I just might have been the first. I glanced at his hand, to Mai and Taehyung, up and my supposed grandfather then back down at his hand.

"Well, go on. Shake. Or would you prefer a hug?"

Tell me why I was embarrassed by that. So I shook his hand firmly. He held onto my hand with both of his.

"There you go. Now, I assume you know of the prophecy?" I nodded. "Everything?" I nodded again. "Good. So then I must tell you this. You must _not _tell _anyone_ that you are a half-blood. Also, it would be wise of you to trust me and me only, unless someone else proves you otherwise. If you need anything, anything at all, come to me. It pains me to say this, but you must not trust your uncle. He would do anything to keep the throne away from your side of the family. You see, even though your father is the younger one that does not mean that _he _is not fit for the throne. Unlike the humans, vampire kingship is not completely hereditary. It does stay within our bloodline; however, it is the King's Council that chooses the king and queen. Sadly, I feel that my fellow Council members chose unwisely. Victor knows this but does not care. Not to say that he is a bad king, but he does not always think of the other races besides his own. Now, did you catch all of this?" I nodded once more. "Brilliant."

"Ah, Elder. You sure can talk," Taehyung said.

"Taehyung Jeong. Always the honest one, you are." He looked over at Mai. "Mai Choi, my dear. How is your father doing?"

Mai smiled. "Mother is driving him crazy as always."

"I warned him," he shook his head.

"Um," I said at last. "Could you…let go of my hand now?"

"Eh?" he looked down. "Ah, my apologies," he said letting go. He noticed the dumb look on my face and patted my back. "Cheer up, my dear boy! You're a prince! Royalty! You'll go down in history! Life is good! Can't get much better than this, can it?"

I looked up at him dumbly. "You're pretty energetic for an old grandpa."

Thank whatever supernatural forces that were at work out there that he found my remark humorous.

So much had happened within the course of two hours that I had a splitting headache. First, old man Julian, who had demanded that I call him "Grandfather", spent the better part of thirty minutes gathering up the rest of the Elders and Priests who made up the King's Council so he could introduce me to them and have them officially welcome me into the palace. Surprisingly, they all had eagerly and joyously accepted me. I was then told that it was because I looked so much like my father, Alistair. Apparently, he was a highly respected and admired individual by everyone in London. Then, I learned that he wasn't even in the palace, or the London Area for that matter. He was a General for the Nightingale militia and was currently out in Scarborough, which was all the way up in northern England, about a possible alliance with another British clan that could help out the Nightingale Clan with the ShangYi. Long story. Anyway, after learning some interesting facts about my father, Grandfather then proceeded to arrange a huge welcoming banquet for which he ran around talking to the kitchen staff, giving out chores to the servants, and alerting anyone who he thought had to attend. Then, while still rushing around, planning the banquet, he had a servant arrange a room for me, Taehyung, and Mai.

Which brings me to my current state; lying face down on the biggest, four-post bed I had ever seen in an even bigger room decorated with nightingales, rainbow roses, couches, chairs tables, golden rugs and blue carpeting, a gigantic wardrobe, and a very expensive looking dresser with a three-pane mirror. I also had my own bathroom that was one-third the size of the rest of the room. The bathtub took up one full corner of the bathroom. Even the sink was unnecessarily big. Everything was white, blue, silver, or gold. There was even an outdoor balcony that looked over the rest of the castle and out towards the rest of London, ending with the horizon and shining sun, high in the sky. A room fit for no one but a prince; that was the only way to describe it.

I was so dog-tired that I couldn't even think straight. I could feel the cold, cruel tendrils of stress creeping up my back like snakes. It didn't help that the bed sheets were so soft, light, and fluffy that I felt like I was floating on clouds. All I could do was close my eyes and listen to the gentle summer breeze rustling the curtains around my bed and out to the balcony. I couldn't make up my mind whether I was comfortable or not. Maybe I was _too_ comfortable. Maybe I was alright with this strange, foreign idea of life as a pampered prince. Maybe I was sick of it already. It hadn't even been a full day, let alone five hours, since I arrived here and I was already second and third guessing all of the events that had taken place within the last two weeks. Part of me wanted to fall asleep and wake up the next day in my room back in Seoul, with my adoptive parents sitting at the kitchen table waiting for me so we could eat breakfast together. But the other part of me, the part of me that was a prince, knew that this was right where I was supposed to be-wanted to be. I just hadn't realized it yet…

Suddenly I heard a soft knock on the door. I groaned into the fluffy pillows underneath my face and, after a couple of seconds, got up to answer it. It was Mai and Taehyung.

"Banquet's ready. Everyone is waiting on you," Taehyung said as Mai stepped forward and attempted to straighten out my clothes and hair.

"Already? You've got to be kidding me!"

"Wish I was. Let's just get this over with alright? Quick and painless. It'll be over before you know it."

"Don't worry," Mai said, giving me one of her looks while still grooming me. "You'll be fine. I know you will. You'll meet lots of people, relatives or otherwise, and they'll all be happy to meet you and support you along your way. The Nightingales are a kind, considerate, civilized people who have their own quirks just like everyone else. Completely normal. Besides, we wouldn't leave you with lunatics."

I sighed. "I hope you two are right."

And so we made our way to the Dining Hall, which was also the size of half a football field.


	7. The Sixth

The instant I seen how many people my Grandfather had managed to gather together I felt like I was going to be sick. There were two, ridiculously long dining tables positioned side-by-side and filled with more chairs than they could fit so everyone would be sitting elbow to elbow. Everyone was dressed similarly in either typical, colonial, British clothing or something similar to what I was wearing. Everything looked so expensive an out of my league. It felt like if I so much as touched something, everything would break apart. One thing I noticed was that everyone had either blond or brown hair. Those with blond hair typically had blue eyes. Of course, there were some red-heads and a couple of people looked like they were platinum blond. Some people had green or hazel eyes. Others had brown or gray. I recognized the Council members and my grandfather, but otherwise I knew no one. The tables were covered with white table cloths and fine china and silver. It was the type of set up where there are different sets of silverware and plates for different courses and cloth napkins stuffed into wine glasses. Bouquets of rainbow roses were positioned evenly on each table. On the ceiling was a carving of a blue and gray nightingale and on the marble (or was it granite?) floor was the Nightingale crest. Tapestries, banners, crests, and decorative weaponry traced the walls around the hall. No space went undecorated.

I only had a few seconds to take everything in before a female stewardess whisked up to the three of us wearing a fluffy white dress with intricate blue designs at the chest and around the skirt. She was very pretty with long, dark brown wavy hair and hazel-green eyes. Something about her seemed out of place compared to the other stewards and stewardesses.

"Prince Kalin," she curtsied and held out her hand, smiling sweetly. "Please follow me Young Master."

I looked over at Mai and Taehyung. They nodded. I sighed and took the stewardess's hand. Her skin was soft and smooth and contrasted with my own pale skin. I felt that if I gripped her hand too tightly I would break it. Then again, I was half vampire, so, naturally, I would. Swiftly, she guided me over to a seat near the end of the table on the right, on the inside near the people sitting at the other table. She released my hand and pulled out the chair, still smiling at me. I stepped in front of the chair and she pushed it in as I sat down. She curtsied again, turned, and left just as gracefully as she came. I glanced at her as she left and then turned to face forward.

I stared at the cutlery for a while, reminding myself which plate, fork, spoon, and knife was for what and saying a silent word of thanks to my adoptive parents for teaching me everything there was to know about British culture. I also remembered to sit up straight and keep my hands folded loosely in my lap. I glanced around and along down the length of the table. Some people were chatting with their neighbors, others were walking around greeting others, but most were looking at me and gossiping. I was only half surprised to see a small vampire girl with long blond hair and green eyes sitting in an older girl's lap. She was looking at me with innocent curiosity while smiling and playing with the hem of her powder pink and white trim dress. She was cute and couldn't have been much older than eight years. She waved at me casually and I smiled back at her waving slightly.

I looked away, suddenly feeling self-conscious. I was fiddling with my fingers when I felt a slight tug on my sash. I looked to my right and down a bit to find the same little girl standing before me. Surprised, I looked back over to where she was previously sitting and then back to her only to find my nose in a single rainbow colored rose. I went cross-eyed for a moment then focused my gaze on the girl's smiling face.

"Here you go!" she said happily, pushing the colorful flower further into my face.

I heard snickers over from where she was sitting and looked over. A group of youths around my age or less were stifling their laughter and trying to avoid eye contact. They all looked relatively the same.

I looked back to the little girl. "Um, thank you," I said taking the rose.

"You're welcome!" she said, still smiling widely. "They're pretty aren't they? Just like us!"

Her words took me aback for a second. Then I smiled and set the rose down on the plates in front of me. I picked another rainbow rose out of the vase in front of me, snapped of most of the stem and slipped the flower into her hair, behind her ear.

"There you go," I smiled at her. "Now you're even prettier."

Her smile brightened impossibly. "Thank you!" And she ran off back to her seat.

I smiled and picked the rose back up. Suddenly, I didn't feel so nervous and self-conscious.

"Ladies and gentlemen!" Grandfather rang out clearly from the front of the room after everyone was in their respective seats. "My fellow comrades and kinsmen! We are gathered here on this glorious day to celebrate the homecoming of someone who we thought to be dead!" He gestured over to me. "My youngest son, Alistair's, only child, Prince Kalin Nightingale!"

As I stood up, I felt my heart beating like Thumper's foot from Bambi. I tried to smile confidently but was afraid that it didn't come out as such. The Dining Hall erupted into voices, applause, and whistles. When the cheers stopped, I sat down. Grandfather continued.

"I am sure we all can admit that, without Prince Kalin, there has been an 'unfilled gap' within the Nightingale Clan. Something was missing. And now that the prince has come home, that gap has been filled and the Nightingale Clan is complete! So please, make him feel welcome and at home like he should. And without further ado, let the feasting begin!"

Well, actually, while the stewards brought out the appetizers and the stewardesses filled wine glasses with beer, cider, wine or mead, a flock of different people got up and made their way over to me, eager to be the first to greet me. I had people left and right telling me their names and trying to shake my hand that my brain was becoming a big jigsaw puzzle. Thankfully, someone came up and broke the crowd.

"Alright, you pansies! Break it up and give the boy some air! You'll suffocate him!" barked a female's voice. Instantly, the crowd parted and a tallish, slender woman with long, wavy dark brown hair pinned up into a tight bun and cool gray eyes, dressed in a midnight blue, strapless evening gown walked forward. She was both beautiful and scary looking. She pointed to the young man that was seated to my right. "You! Up!"

"Er, y-yes Madame!" The poor man shot up out of his seat so fast he almost tripped over himself.

Elegantly, she sat down and crossed her legs. She held out a pale slender hand to me. "Lilian Nightingale, you're father and uncle's older sister."

I took her hand and shook it. For a woman, she had a firm grip, even if she _was_ a vampire. "Pleased to meet you," I bowed to her, thanking the spirits that I didn't stutter.

She looked me over. "Hm," she grunted. "You're better looking than your father. Believe it or not, even after eight-hundred years, Alistair's still a baby-faced teenager. I'm beginning to wonder if he'll ever grow up."

Then, suddenly, one of the men in the crowd spoke up. "Ah, Lilian! Leave old Asterisk alone! You're just jealous that your youthfulness was stolen away as soon as you hit a millennium!"

She whipped her head around to glare at the man. "This, _Felix, _is coming from the man who refused to speak to him for a month simply because he beat you in a fencing match."

The man called Felix looked away and ruffled his already shaggy dark brown hair as the rest of the crowd hollered in laughter.

Then another man from across the table said, "Yeah, maybe. But you can't beat him either, Lilian."

Within the blink of an eye she had flicked up one of the steak knives on the table and flung it at the glass full of red wine in the man's hand. It cracked in to pieces and the wine splashed all over the table cloth, his plate of appetizers, and the lap of his expensive looking suit. His eyes went wide and he launched back in his chair.

"Should have kept my trap shut…" he said as the other men turned their laughter at him.

"Yes, you should have," Lilian said.

I couldn't resist laughing a little at all of the excitement. "I take it my father has quite the reputation."

"That, Young Prince," Felix said moving forward and placing a hand on my shoulder, "is the understatement of the century. Not only is he the greatest Nightingale General to ever stalk the night but he's also known for being the most cunning man of us all. There isn't a thing that goes on within this palace that he doesn't know about, not a problem he can't solve, and not fight he can't finish."

"Why did you call him 'Asterisk'?"

"Because back in the day he was so adept at earning his stars that we figured we might as well call him one!" one of the other men said.

"Yes," said Lilian. "It's a shame he isn't here for you to see him. He's quite an exciting little firecracker once you get him going." She noticed the sad and longing look on my face. "But not to worry. You have lots more family to meet here at Palace Nightingale and before you know it your father will be home and eager to meet his son. Now, one other thing." I looked up at her questioningly. "You are to address me as Aunt Lilian and nothing other than that. Am I clear?"

I smiled at her, grateful to her for trying to cheer me up. "Yes, Aunt Lilian."

She smiled back. "Smart_ and_ good looking. You'll do fine here." She turned to the crowd. "What are you all standing there for? I'm sure you all have food on your plates by now. Scram!"

They all scrambled back to their seats. Well, except for Felix. He sat in the empty seat beside me.

"So," Felix said placing his cloth napkin on his lap. "I assume the young prince is wondering who his fellow Nightingales are, no?"

"Yes," I huffed in relief that someone was finally going to point them out to me.

"Well, besides Old Geezer Julian and" –Felix glanced over at Aunt Lilian- "_sweet, __**beautiful**_Lilian, as well as the currently non-present King Victor, there's your grandmother, Alice, sitting over there next to your grandfather." She was beautiful and elegant in a venerable sort of way; not old looking, but not too young. "Then, over there at the end of the table behind us, is your eldest second cousin Luca. I'd watch your tongue around him too. Unless you're on his good side." His hair was a darker shade of blond than the others. His was almost a light brown. It was slicked back with a few strands lingering over his left eye. His eyes were a cool, dark gray color. More so, he was staring at me as though he were studying me. Quickly, I looked away. "I'm your godfather. And directly behind us is your youngest second cousin, Irene."

"Well, it's about time you introduced me Felix! I'm just as close to Alistair as you are!" shouted a young feminine voice behind me.

I looked back to see a smallish, fairly young woman with long, wavy, sandy blond hair pulled up into a high ponytail and decorated with a rainbow rose hair ornament. Her eyes were a beautiful mix between light blue, powder blue and navy blue. She wore a dress similar to the one the stewardess who led me to my seat was wearing. She was smiling brightly at me. She leaned over the back of her chair crossing her arms and resting her head on them.

"You are _too_ cute! Just like my baby cousin! He's going to go ballistic when he sees you!" she squealed happily.

"_You're_ going ballistic, Irene," Lilian huffed.

"Of course! Look at him! He's natural eye candy!"

"Um, thanks?" I threw out for the sake of conversation.

Then I felt Felix's hand on my shoulder. "Be warned, Young Prince. Irene will spoil you until you're a Persian cat on a velvet pillow."

I winced. I didn't much like Persians.

"Oh, Felix! Look! You're scaring him!" Irene scolded. She smiled at me again. "Don't worry about Felix. He's just a big tease, is all."

"Uh, o-kay."

"Anyway, if there's anything you need-anything at all!-you come and see me, okay? I'm always eager to help out! It's one of my defining qualities, you see. Of course, there are others."

"You sure like to talk, don't you?" I wondered, trying to keep from smiling at her talkative nature.

Felix, Aunt Lilian and Irene all laughed at my bold question.

"Ah," Irene sighed once she had stopped laughing. "He'll make a fine prince. Finer than Alistair, maybe?"

"He just might. He's cutting it close, even now. And he just got here!" Felix exclaimed. Then he remembered something. "Oh, and one other group you should be on the look-out for." He pointed down the table at the same group of teenagers with the little girl I was looking at earlier. "I won't tell you their names because you'll meet them in person later, but they are your own brothers, sisters, and cousins. They're quite the interesting and excitable bunch. Get to know them. You'll be seeing a lot of them since the King's Council all approve of generational members of the Nightingale Clan sticking together and becoming close with one another. A way to keep the peace, you could say."

I stared at them for what seemed like an eternity, a hundred questions running through my mind. I was as curious as I was awestruck. I had brothers and sisters. And cousins, even. Not spiritual brothers and sisters, like Mai and Taehyung, but by blood. People who were like me. I wondered what all we would have in common. Would we like the same things? Dislike the same things? Were they as curious of me as I was of them? That was all I had on my mind as the banquet progressed. I was only half listening as Irene talked on and Felix and Aunt Lilian told me about the history of our clan and what not. Nothing they said was as interesting as the group of teenagers who I now knew to be part my family. I thought of the first questions I would ask them. One of them, I decided, would be about my father…

When the banquet ended, Felix lingered behind me, placed his hands on my shoulders, and told me to meet him in the Portrait Hall later around seven. I kept that in mind as I went to find Mai and Taehyung.


	8. The Seventh

"Sounds like you had quite the adventure," Mai said as I told her and Taehyung about the banquet and meeting Felix, Aunt Lilian and Irene.

"You're telling me," I sighed. "I'm gonna sleep like a rock tonight!"

"You're a prince. You're gonna sleep like a rock every night," Taehyung shrugged. I got the feeling he meant that in more ways than one. "Anyway, this is the last time you'll be seeing us for a little while."

"Why?"

"Because, since we're not royalty and aren't specifically connected to the Nightingale Clan, coupled with the fact that we're Korean, the Council is only letting us stay here in the palace for tonight. After that, it's outside the palace for us," Mai explained.

"I was afraid of that…" I sighed again.

We reached the door to my room and parted ways. I watched them stride away and turn a corner before opening the door. I walked in with my head down and closed the door. To my surprise, when I raised my head, I was faced with eight people all lounging around in my room. I jumped back and slammed into the door. Some of them snickered. Then I realized they were the group that Felix had pointed out to me.

"You know, you really shouldn't walk into a room with your head down. Even if it is your own room. It's not exactly _safe_ to do that when you're a vampire," one of the older boys sitting on my bed said somewhat darkly.

"I'll…keep that in mind…" I managed to force out. "But, you could have waited until I _came_ _back _first."

"We wanted to surprise you," one of the middle girls sitting at my dresser said matter-of-factly.

"I see…" I said, still slightly in shock.

Then I felt a tug on my sash. I looked down. It was the little girl again. She smiled up at me, the rose I gave her still in her hair. She just stood there and clung to me like we were on the _Titanic_.

"Uh." I was at a loss for words.

"That's Fiona, your younger sister," the eldest girl said. "I'm Celine your _older_ sister."

Celine was slightly taller than me with dark blond hair and golden-blond highlights. Her eyes were navy blue. She was boyish looking. She wore brown, cloth boots that were folded at the top, white pants tucked into her boots, and a cloudy blue, long-sleeved shirt. She kept her hair in a ponytail at the nape of her neck. She had a serious, yet calm look on her face as she gazed at me from the couch lying against the left wall.

She pointed down by her feet to a younger boy, who was lying on his stomach, coloring in a picture of the Nightingale crest surrounded by roses with colored pencils. "This is your younger brother, Nathaniel."

Nathaniel looked up and smiled at me, then went back to coloring. He had short, sandy blond hair that was slightly spiky and blue-green eyes like the sea. He looked a lot like me. He was wearing black shoes that looked more like slippers, tan pants, and a navy blue v-neck shirt with sleeves that went to his elbows. He seemed like a calm, well-mannered young boy.

Celine then pointed to her left at boy that looked almost exactly like her except his hair was short instead of long. "This is Tristan. He and I are twins."

Tristan was dressed exactly like Celine only his pants were black and his shirt was auburn. He nodded at me.

"And that's all the brothers and sisters you have," Celine continued. "Nathaniel, Tristan and I all have the same mother. And Fiona's mother, well, we won't get into that."

Just then the middle boy sitting on the floor by my bed raised his hand and waved it around. "Ooh! I want to introduce us cousins!" Without waiting for anyone's approval, he pointed to the dark looking boy on my bed. "That's Salem. His father is Uncle Victor."

Salem was sitting cross-legged with one arm crossed over his lap and the other propping up his head. He looked bored. He was dressed in all black in knee high boots, pants tucked into his boots, and a collared dress shirt with no buttons. He made no gesture of greeting, which I didn't take personally. I figured every group had to have a dark and mysterious member. Another one of my fantasy quirks.

The boy pointed to himself. "I'm Remy, the girl standing against the back wall there is Raven, and there at your dresser is Danika. Our mother is your Aunt Lilian. But don't worry. The only one who's really like her is Raven. But she's all bark and no bite."

Raven gave Remy, who wasn't looking, a death glare.

Remy was dressed similarly to Nathaniel only he was wearing white slippers and a gray long-sleeved shirt. His hair was a lighter brown than Aunt Lilian but his eyes were the same cool gray color. He was baby faced too.

Raven was dressed in knee-high, black boots, dark gray pants tucked into her boots, and a black shirt with long sleeves that showed her shoulders. Her hair was such a dark brown that it looked black and her eyes were hazel colored. Her hair cascaded down around her exposed shoulders and down to the small of her back. She was rather beautiful, in a dark and dangerous sort of way. She was leaning against the wall with her arms crossed under her breasts and one leg bent with her foot against the wall.

Danika, unlike the other girls, wore a light gray, cotton dress with elbow length sleeves and folds at the top that showed her neck and the top of her shoulders. The dress went down to her knees. On her feet were light blue flats with silver sequins on the toes. Her hair was the same as Remy's, only long, and she had Raven's eye color. She looked like the two of them put together. I could tell she was the middle child right away. She smiled and waved at me.

"Um…Hi?" I said, unsure of what to say or do.

Then I felt Fiona, still next to me, tug on my hand. She pulled me over to the love seat next the couch and made me sit down. Then, she sat down next to me, bouncing her small legs on the cushions.

"She sure has taken a liking to you," Tristan said smiling at the two of us. "Usually she only sticks around Father. She's been pretty anti-conversational since he left for Scarborough. Guess she sees him in you."

I hesitated then asked, "Do I really look that much like him?"

"Eerily so!" said Danika. "When I first saw you I thought Uncle Asterisk had come home!"

That made me smile. Now I wanted to meet him more than ever.

"Wow," Celine said suddenly. "You even have his smile."

"Okay. Now you're just embarrassing me," I said half teasing, half serious. They laughed at me. "This is weird. I went from being an adopted only child living in the dark to being a prince with too many relatives to count."

"You'll get used to it," Raven shrugged.

"It's fun living here!" Nathaniel said, finally finished with his picture. He stood up, walked over, and handed the picture to me. He put his hands behind his back and smiled. "And it's even better when you have family to have fun with!"

I smiled up at him. "Yeah. You're right."

Then Fiona grabbed onto my left arm and hugged it tightly. She looked over at Celine. "Sister, can we go to the Portrait Hall so we can show Brother Kalin what Papa looks like?"

"That sounds like a good idea," Tristan said.

"I agree," Celine nodded. "He should know more about our father."

"Finally!" Salem jumped up. "I want to get out of this stuffy room. Mine is much bigger than this."

The nine of us walked out of my room and into the hallway. Salem and Raven stayed behind me and Tristan, Celine and Danika led the way. Fiona stayed by my side, holding my hand, and Remy and Nathaniel were on my right, fighting over who would walk right beside me. We all made our way through Palace Nightingale to our destination.

The Portrait Hall was huge. Bigger, even, than the Dining Hall. It was so full of portraits and sculptures and other pieces of artwork that it looked like a museum. The walls were lined with enormous pictures of different people. Through the rest of the room, in the middle, were other pictures hanging on pillars, stone tablets with carvings, and sculptures made of clay, stone, marble, granite, and other things. I noticed one other thing: they all were of great members of the Nightingale Clan, Generals of the militia, Priests, or other people who had contributed greatly to the good of the Clan.

Immediately, they dragged me over to a spot on the wall towards the back. The portrait had to be the second biggest one in the room, the biggest being of some past King. Featured in the portrait was a man with short golden-blond hair that looked like soft wisps of sunlight, eyes that shone bluer than the sky, and pale, yet fair looking skin. He was young looking, unfathomably handsome and beautiful. He looked strong and noble, great and majestic. No one word could possibly begin to describe him. In the picture, he was holding up an auburn and blue colored nightingale with his left index finger while in his right hand was a rainbow rose; he gazed peacefully up at the nightingale unfurling its wings. He was dressed finely in a golden-auburn, midnight blue, and white General's uniform, a long sword at his hip. He was magnificent.

"…Is that…?" I was at a loss for words.

"Yep. That's him. Prince Alistair Nightingale, second son and youngest child of previous King Julian Nightingale, and First General of the Nightingale militia. The greatest prince to ever walk the halls of Palace Nightingale," Tristan said. "Our father."

"It's not the same here without him…" Nathaniel sighed.

"I miss Papa…" Fiona said sadly, still holding onto my hand.

"He'll be back soon enough. He just went to form an alliance. It's not like he's going to die," Raven said confidently. "It's impossible for Uncle Asterisk to die. He's too good at what he does best: protecting the Clan."

"It's hard to believe he's a General," I shook my head as I gazed at the portrait. "He looks so peaceful…"

"He refused to have a portrait of him done with his sword out. He said he wanted one that captured his peaceful nature. He sure got what he wanted," explained Celine.

Danika sighed deeply. "Uncle Alistair's the most beautiful man in all the land."

Salem frowned down at her. "You sound like you're _in love_ with him."

"Well, look at him!" Danika defended, gesturing to the portrait. "He looks like a _god!_ I wouldn't be surprised if all the women in London-no, _Great Britain!_-were in love with him! He's been with _three_ women already!"

"That's just 'cause he gets around," Salem rolled his eyes.

Then Tristan had Salem by his throat. He glared daggers at him as he constricted his airways. "I thought I told you I didn't want to hear that coming out of your mouth again."

Salem coughed and hacked and tried to pry Tristan's hand off his neck. "Alright, alright! I'm sorry! I didn't mean it like that! Bloody hell, Tristan! Let go! You're gonna kill me!"

"And I _will_ if you let something like that slip again!"

"It won't! I promise! Now let go!"

Tristan obliged and turned back to Father's portrait. Salem fell to his knees gasping and coughing.

I shook my head. "You kind of deserved that…"

"Yeah, you really did, Salem," Danika agreed. "Tristan really _will_ kill you one of these days.

Salem ignored the comments and remarks. Instead he said, "I really wish I could be that loyal to _my own_ father…"

"Why?" I asked. "What's wrong with the King?"

"Are you_ kidding_ me?" Salem yelled. "He's a greedy, selfish bastard who got on the Council's good side just so he could steal the throne away from his father and younger brother! Alistair's the one who _really_ deserved to be King! Not some power hungry _monster!_ Our feud with the ShangYi could have been over _long ago_ if Alistair had been put on the throne instead of _him!"_

Then he ran off.

I was dumbstruck. I had only asked out of curiosity. I hadn't thought that it would offend him. Or that he would have such hate towards his own father. It was a completely unexpected outcome. It made me wonder what kind of person the King was. If he was as Salem had described him, then he was definitely someone I would not consider my uncle. Not when he cast aside my father and grandfather and sacrificed a chance at peace for his position on the throne. Then I remembered what I was here to do in the first place. If I was to bring peace between the Nightingale and ShangYi Clans, then I needed to learn more about who the King's Council had put on the throne.

Celine noticed my expression and placed a hand on my shoulder. "It's okay. It wasn't your fault. Salem is more attached to his mother. And, well, the King is his father. There are things he knows that we don't. He never talks about them either. It's a hard burden for anyone to carry. Even for someone as strong as Salem."

"Yeah…" I breathed. I turned back to my father's portrait. I found it comforting to look at.

Just then there was the tolling of a bell.

"Aww!" said Remy. "six-thirty already? Guess we'd better head back to our rooms for the day."

"Remy's right," Celine said. "Let's go guys."

"You all go on ahead," I said remembering what Felix told me. "I'm going to stay here for a while."

"Suit yourself," Tristan said. "Don't get lost on the way back."

"I want to stay here with Brother Kalin!" Fiona argued.

"Come on Fiona! You still have to take a bath!" Celine tried to get her to let go of me, but Fiona only clung tighter.

I knelt down next to her, still holding her hand. "It's alright, Fiona. Go on. I'll see you either later or tomorrow, okay?" I smiled at her, coaxing her to go.

She whined a bit but nodded.

I pat her head and kissed her forehead before sending her off. Once it was only me in the Portrait Hall I turned back to father's portrait and waited until Felix showed up.

When Felix arrived, he found me just as I was; standing there, staring at my father.

"Quite the spectacle, isn't he?" Felix said as he walked up and stood next to me.

"Yes," I agreed without hesitation. "He's more than I could have imagined. But his picture…It makes me miss him even more. And he doesn't even know I'm alive…"

"Oh, he'll know soon enough," Felix said as though he were hiding something. He noticed my raised eyebrow. "I sent a messenger bird to him with a letter explaining everything just a short while ago. He should get it within the next few days and send a reply."

I sighed in both relief and longing. I was content with knowing that he would know I was alive and well and waiting for him here at Palace Nightingale when he returned home.

"Anyway, you're probably wondering why I wanted to meet you here."

"It's up there with about a million other questions."

Felix chuckled. "Of course." He sighed. "I wanted to meet you here so we could talk about your parents and the prophecy."

My eyes went wide and I turned and looked at him. "I was told the only ones who knew were my father and my grandfather…"

Felix looked up at the portrait. "Yes, well, Alistair told me everything about a week before he was to leave for Scarborough. He said that his reason for telling me was 'so Kalin may have someone in the palace of whom he can truly trust, no matter what'." He looked back at me. "His words, not mine."

I digested Felix's quote of my father and turned back to the portrait once more. "What about my mother?" I asked.

"Rosaline Lestrade was the most beautiful woman in the world, mortal or otherwise. Alistair said that she was the only woman he ever truly fell in love with. She was strong and wise and mature beyond her years. I won't tell you how they met. I'll let your father tell you that when he returns. But when they did, they were inseparable. However, since they were from two different worlds, they kept their relationship secret from everyone except for his parents and myself. The only way they were able to continue their relationship was because Alistair convinced the Council to let her form a 'contract' with the Nightingale Clan. That's what it's called when a hunter or someone who otherwise wouldn't belong in the palace or in a clan's domain agrees to serve that clan and that clan only.

"They were together for a few years when Rosaline became pregnant with you. At first, Alistair didn't want Rosaline to go through with the pregnancy for fear that she would die. But Rosaline was determined to have a child by him and felt that they had no right to take away your right to live. So Alistair searched for a way to ensure her life after giving birth. Around the same time that he found a way to keep her alive, they learned that Rosaline was having a boy. That's when Julian and Alistair discovered the prophecy. However, there was a spy working for the ShangYi in the palace. The ShangYi found out and that's when the three of them came up with the plan to hide you from the mystical world."

"Wow," I breathed.

"Yes. It was hard for me to swallow as well. But your father and mother are heroes. Your mother for giving up her life to save yours and your father for being strong enough to let her, even though it nearly ripped him apart. He tried to act his normal, excitable self, however, those of us who knew him well could tell that he wasn't the same anymore. He was more impulsive and unreasonable. It was during that time that Nathaniel and Fiona were born. It took almost a decade for him to move past everything that had happened. In fact, he told me the only reasons he had for continuing to live on was the knowledge that he would see _you_ again, Kalin, and the fact that he refused to abandon his other children when none of what happened was their fault."

Tears stung at the corners of my eyes. For the first time, I felt a big, gaping hole in the center of my heart. A hole that took up almost half of it. What was left of my heart longed for my father's return and yearned to see my mother, even though the latter was impossible. Knowing that my brothers and sisters were there for me helped, but not by much. The portrait of him made it both better and worse at the same time.

Then I noticed the portrait next to my father's. It was of a beautiful, long dark brown-haired woman with bright emerald eyes. She was dressed in what looked like a hunter's outfit, an unsheathed, silver long sword in her hand. On the collar of her coat was a pin in the shape of the Nightingale crest. She was just as beautiful as my father. Strangely so, in fact.

"That woman," I said, my voice trembling. "Is she…?"

"Yes, your mother. They made a great team, your parents. So much so when her portrait was painted it was respectfully placed next to his. Funny how they did this not knowing of their relationship. Don't you think so?"

Felix looked over to see me still staring at my mother, tears streaming down my cheeks. He sighed sympathetically and pulled me into a comforting hug. "There there, Young Prince. It will all be alright. Even though you may think so and feel so, you are not alone. You don't have to carry the entire burden by yourself."

Words cannot express how grateful I was that Felix didn't see me as weak and helpless and simply let me cry there against his chest. I had been through so much in the two weeks I prepared for coming here to this strange new world. When I finally got her and learned more of the truth, it was too much. I fell over the edge. I had to let it out somehow. Then my godfather comes around and acts sympathetic. Honestly, you can't tell me you wouldn't start crying too.

Eventually, I stopped crying and parted ways with Felix. I made my way back to my room and hopped in the bath. By the time I got out it was almost ten o' clock. I went straight to bed and fell asleep quickly under the soft, silken covers. That night, I dreamed of my parents and my brothers and sisters and cousins. I dreamed of a world where I didn't have to be sent to the modern era, where my mother was still alive and the ShangYi didn't give a damn about the Nightingale Clan. I dreamed that I grew up with my family like I should have; that I had both of my parents there with me, caring for me, keeping me on my feet as I grew up. I dreamed that I fought with my siblings and cousins like all children do. For some, this might have been a good dream, but compared to the bitter reality of my life, it was a nightmare.

I woke up in tears, my heart in much more pain than it was in the previous day.


	9. The Eighth

Thankfully, I got over my depression by the end of the week. And it was all thanks to one thing: the arrival of a hawk, that morning, on my balcony railing. It was huge. Big enough to carry a sac filled with letters written on parchment in black ink and a collection of oddities. I took the sac and the hawk flew off to some other part of the palace. I sat on my bed and looked through the bag. I didn't pay attention to the items. Instead, I looked through the letters. There were five, bounded together by a red string. Each of them said something different on the front; they were marked To My Brother by Spirit Felix, To My Dearest Sister, To My Nieces and Nephews, To All My Children, and lastly To My Son Kalin.

I picked the last one, cast the others aside and ripped it open.

Dear Kalin,

Words cannot express how elated I was to hear from your godfather, Felix, that you are finally back home where you belong, in Palace Nightingale with your fellow princes and princesses. I realize that the transition from living in the twenty-first century with 'adoptive parents' in Seoul, South Korea to living in ancient London in an impossibly large royal palace filled with dozens of relatives you do not know must have been very hard for you indeed, especially since your wonderful mother, Rosaline, is not with us any longer and I am out here in Scarborough. But do not fear. Even if you cannot see us, your mother and I are always with you.

By now you must have been told a lot about the Nightingale Clan, your family, your parents, and much more about the mystical world. I trust that whoever has been coaching you in our ways has been as kind, caring and truthful as I hope they have been. In a cruel, cold world like this one, one cannot afford to trust liars. This is why I told Felix about your, mine, and Rosaline's past. Not a day has gone by when I have not trusted him with my life, and so I trust him with your life as well. I hope that he has also proven his loyalty and trust to you as he has to me. Trust him, listen to him, and believe in him. He is the greatest man, vampire or otherwise, that I have ever known.

Also, if you ever need advice from someone with experience, go to your grandfather, Julian. He may seem eccentric at times, but he knows well. He has knowledge and the experience to back it up. And while he may not be what he used to be strength and spirit wise, he is worth more than ten-thousand libraries when it comes to knowledge and information. Just be ready to hear a story when you ask him and try not to fall asleep!

Your Aunt Lilian may seem strict and cold-hearted, which half of the time she is, but she always has her family's best interests at heart. She, along with Felix, is the reason I have lived to see eight-hundred, especially considering the fact that I, like you, am a prince, but also a General. She does not know the truth about you or Rosaline and me, but if she were to find out, she will not judge you. She is anything but prejudiced. However, I advise you not to defy her or get on her bad side.

As for your siblings and cousins, well, what can I say about them? They are the most calm and peaceful, yet energetic bunch of children I have ever had the pleasure of knowing. Tristan and Celine can be bossy and intimidating, but they will lead you well. Listen and learn from them well, you will thank them later. Nathaniel is like your grandfather the most; full of energy and ready for adventure. He is as intelligent as he is creative. Have fun keeping up with him! Little Fiona. She is a shining bundle of joy. She can be quite the handful (and I admit that I have spoiled her greatly) but she is as sweet as honey and as cunning as a fox. It is most impossible to be depressed around her. Salem and Raven are rebels, but they are loyal to the end. The only thing I can really say about them is do not compare them to my elder brother and sister, for fear of your well being. Danika and Remy are energetic whirlwinds, just like your grandfather only more so than Nathaniel. It is best to leave Danika to her beautifying. As for Remy, just keep him occupied. I ask you, as your father, to take care of them as much as I know they are taking care of you. Especially my little girl Fiona.

Now you're most likely curious about your father. I imagine you've heard numerous things about me. For example 'the great Nightingale General, Asterisk' or 'the greatest of the Nightingale Clan, Prince Alistair Nightingale'. In truth, those are just titles. I am no different than you or any of your siblings or cousins. They say it has been my success that earned me those titles. Well, I could not have been successful if I wasn't true to myself and my character. Fame is empty and the titles are void, but what says everything about a person is his or her character. It is who they are that defines them. I have no regrets in my life. I live truthfully to myself and, ultimately, to my family and friends. There is nothing in this world for liars, cheaters, and thieves. I am not any of those things. My son, always know that if you ask your father a question I will do my best to answer it and answer it truthfully. If you ask something of me, I shall give the task my all. If you ask me how high you should aim in life, I will tell you to climb the stars to the moon. All I want is for my life, and the lives of my family and friends, to be peaceful and prosperous. Everyone has wings, everyone can fly, and everyone shines with their own individual light. The challenge is learning to do these things. I have confidence in you, my dear Kalin. I believe that you can bring the evil and corruption in this dark world to its knees. You can show everyone that they all have light in them and you can also show them how to let it shine. Your mother had the same confidence in you as I do. She loved you and cared for you, even when she knew she would not live to see you become the great prince that I know you will grow up to be. Know that the prophecy means nothing to me. It was merely a 'heads up' for your arrival. You are the one who lives your life, not anyone else. If you say you are going to reach for the stars, then by the spirits go on and try. If you only wish to stay at home in Palace Nightingale with your family, then that is your choice. Whatever you choose, I will still have the same confidence in you that you can change our world. But only you can make the choice. Either way, I will love you the same.

Should you choose to accept your destiny, I have a few things to tell you. The first thing would be to trust no one until they have proven themselves worthy of your trust. Even if they are your family. Next, listen to your heart. It is both a map and a compass of which will never break or tear, unless you let it. Third, do not be intimidated by the King's Council. Just because they have power, does not mean they know how to use it or are always right within their decisions. Also, learn to communicate with others. What I mean by this is not only should you learn to sympathize and empathize with those you meet, but you should also learn to keep in touch with them over great distances. For example, the distance between me and you. Finally, and most importantly, beware of your Uncle Victor and your Second Cousin Luca. They are never what they seem. They can agree with you completely one minute and turn on you the next. Salem and Raven will prove to be useful against them. Salem, I say this because it is true, respects me more than his own father. In all honesty, he detests his father. Sadly, though, I do not blame him. Luckily, I had my sister's protection from him when I was your age. Raven is a very intelligent young girl and possibly knows more than she ought to. None the less, she is wise. She knows that Luca is unpredictable and should be kept an eye on. She is very observant and will notice things long before anyone else does. She may find you out long before your siblings do. Do not underestimate Victor and Luca, but do not underestimate the rest of your family either.

I know you must ache to know about her, but I will not tell you about your mother just yet. That is something I wish to do in person. You're mother was too great a woman for you to learn of her through a mere letter. As soon as I get back, I will answer any questions you may have about Rosaline. But for now, please be content with whatever you may already know.

You must forgive the long letter. I am a man who has everything to say and nothing he doesn't. So, for now I will simply say this: be brave, my son. Follow your heart and be true to yourself. I will love you always, my young Prince Kalin.

Your father and fellow Nightingale Prince,

Prince Alistair Nightingale

P.S. Remember to hand out my other letters and give the gifts to your siblings and cousins!

Getting that letter was the best part of my day, and it was only nine-forty-five. My father's letter gave me strength and confidence. He believed in me. He knew practically nothing about me and yet he loved me anyway. I was only half surprised to find out he had guessed most of what all happened to me yesterday. Felix had said that he seemed to know everything that went on in the palace. The letter had turned my depression into excitement.

I glanced at the other letters and the sac with Father's gifts in them. I scooped them up and ran out of my room and down the hallways and corridors. My destination was a common room specifically for the teenagers and young children in the palace. It was near the palace's center courtyard. I reached the two giant doors and flung them open. Celine, Tristan, Nathaniel, Fiona, Remy, Raven, Danika, and Salem were all sitting in the common room.

The common room was large with big double pane windows along the back wall. The carpeting was red and the furniture was white. The walls were washed with a bright amber color. There were couches, recliners, love seats, stools, and tables scattered around. There was a snack bar along the left wall and a bookshelf along the right. There were tables near the windows with chessboards, checkerboards, and other board games, along with stacks of playing cards. There was also a toy chest for the little kids like Fiona, Nathaniel, and Remy.

Fiona was playing with a stuffed bear and rabbit. Nathaniel and Remy were sitting at a coffee table playing the matching game with playing cards. Salem was eating sweets. Tristan was reading over by the bookshelf. Danika was playing with Celine's hair. They all looked at me when I came running through the doors.

"What's wrong with you?" Salem raised an eyebrow at me as he bit into an apple turnover.

I lifted up the sac.

"Okay. It's a sac. So what?" Danika said, not getting the point.

I rolled my eyes and walked over to the couch near Nathaniel. "It's what's _inside_ the sac that's important," I said sitting down.

Everyone gathered around me, Fiona clinging to my right side. I opened the sac and took out the other four letters; I had left mine in my room.

"They're from Father," I said.

"Really?" they all exclaimed.

"Papa wrote to us?" Fiona asked excitedly. I nodded and her smile got brighter.

"Two of them are for Felix and Aunt Lilian. The other two are for us." I explained. I handed the one addressed to my cousins to Salem and I handed the one addressed to me and my siblings to Celine.

Celine looked at it then shook her head and handed it back. "You open it. You should read it too. You have the right to."

I glanced from her to the letter. I sighed and smiled up at her. "Alright."

I took back the letter and tore it open. I took out the letter and read it out loud.

My Dear Children,

I apologize for not writing sooner. I have been very busy out here in Scarborough. There has been a series for events that have kept me out of touch with you all. However, I shall not bore you with them. Instead, I shall simply say that I am well and expect to be back within the next week or so. I hope that you all are well and welcoming dear Kalin warmly into the family. I am delighted that the five of you are together at last! I cannot wait to see all of you together when I return!

My beautiful daughter Celine, I hope that you are being the best leader and idol that you can be for your younger siblings. I take great pride in your strength and sense of responsibility. I know that one or two weeks seems like a very long time to keep your brothers and sister in line, but I have confidence in you, my dear. Please be gentle with Fiona who misses me so and patient with Kalin who may get lost from time to time while learning about his life as a vampire prince. Now, I know how much you dislike jewelry and luxurious items, but I could not help myself when I saw this necklace out here in a store window. Keep it safe.

Celine groaned when I took out a black box with a white ribbon that bore her name. She took it and, unenthusiastically, opened it. The necklace was a violet flower with an amethyst stone in the centre, hanging off of a silver chain with a turquoise stone attacked to the clip.

Celine sighed. "Father never forgets. February 9th on a Saturday at four-thirty-five AM, his first daughter was born." She smiled, took out the necklace, and slipped it around her neck. She examined it, snorted, and shook her head. "He's getting a laugh out of this, I know it."

I smiled and continued reading.

To my first son Tristan, I first ask you to get along with your cousin Salem while I am still away. He may not seem like it, but he is a good child and an even better friend. If anyone knows of loyalty it is him. You may learn from him as he may learn from you. Also, I ask you to teach Kalin all that I have taught you. Guide him through the tough parts of being a prince and help him do well among his fellow Nightingales. Help him soar as I have helped you. However, do not be too hard on yourself. I am not trying to put you under pressure. Make time for yourself. Rest and relaxation is essential for the mind and body to grow well. And for that, I give you this book I found in a bookstore during my free time. Enjoy!

I laughed as I handed Tristan the book.

"What's so funny?" he asked. Then he looked down at the title. And laughed with me.

"Come on. Really?" Salem said. "A book couldn't possibly be that funny."

"What book is it?" Remy asked.

Tristan managed to hold up the book. It was Robin Hood. "Ah, Father's got some sense of humour, doesn't he?"

He sure did, to give Tristan, a teenager, a book like Robin Hood.

I kept reading.

Nathaniel, I hope that you have not been too awfully bored without me there. Knowing them, your siblings and cousins are probably keeping you busy, especially Remy. And, if I know you, you have already demonstrated your artistic skills to Kalin. You are unique when it comes to art. You have the potential to be a great artist someday. When that day comes, I shall have to remember to ask you do paint me something exquisite. Until then, keep to your studies. Study hard and learn well. Your education will take you far. However, make sure you take the time to express yourself using this artist's kit I found in a crafts store.

I didn't have time to get Nathaniel's gift out of the sac because by the time I reached for it he was already digging through the sac. He pulled out a black item that resembled a fair sized binder bounded by a buckle. He undid the buckle and opened it across his lap. His eyes lit up when he saw the range of colored pencils, pastels, paints, paint brushes, pencils, quills, ink vials and other things I couldn't identify. Nathaniel's mouth hung open like a fish's as he stared down at the set. Then, he pretended to faint and slumped against my side.

"I feel like a real artist now," he said blankly.

I smiled and patted his head before turning back to the letter.

My little Fiona, I have worried about you constantly since I left and I still do. You are growing fast, but to me you are still so small. It seems like only yesterday that you were an infant and I could hold you in my arms like a small puppy. And now you are a young girl with so much energy and so much enthusiasm. You are my pride and joy. Do not grow up too fast. Enjoy your childhood while you still can because before you know it you will be starting your studies like Nathaniel. Play well and savour every moment. And while your eldest siblings may thumb their noses at me for this, I give you yet another one of the stuffed toys you love so much. Celine, Tristan, please forgive me!

"What?" Celine said as though she couldn't believe it.

"Aw, come on! She's got enough already!" Tristan threw his hands up in the air.

Fiona gasped and squealed with joy as I handed her a white and black stuffed unicorn. She jumped up and spun around tightly squeezing the toy to her chest.

I turned to the twins. "I take it she has a lot of them?"

"You haven't seen her room," they both said.

I thought about it for a moment then shrugged and read the last of the letter.

Finally, my dear son Kalin, it may not seem like I have something to say about you since we barely know each other, but I assure you that is not the case. I know that you are strong, wise and intelligent just like your brothers and sisters. Just like your eldest sister and brother, you can be a great leader and a big influence on Nathaniel and Fiona, as well as your younger cousins. But also, just like the younger ones, you have a lot to learn. The beauty of being the middle child is that you are wise and experienced, but you also have a long way to go. There are many things you must learn about being a Nightingale prince. But do not be afraid. You have your family to help you along the way. Do not be intimidated by your life as a prince. I have confidence that it will come naturally to you, just as it did for me. What I have for you isn't in the sac, but somewhere else in the palace. They are two things I used when I was your age. They are very special to me. That is why I am giving them to you, as a symbol of my love and trust. You will find them in the weaponry on the training grounds. Have Tristan take you there after you are done with the letters and gifts. Use them well.

My children, I hate to do this, but I must ask you to be patient and wait a little longer for your father's return. I promise all of you that once I return I will dedicate all of my time to you. It wounds me to be away from you for this long. Especially now that Kalin is there too. Look forward to many stories and tales when I come back. I miss you all greatly.

With all the love in the world,

Your father,

Prince Alistair Nightingale

I glanced at Tristan. "What two items is he talking about?"

Tristan got up. "Come on. I'll take you to the training grounds now."

"But what about our letter?" Remy said as I got up to follow Tristan.

"Go on and read it without us," Tristan called back.

The training grounds were on the far end of the palace, near the back gate and courtyard. It was a wide open space with bull's eye targets, practice dummies, and more. Unlike the rest of the palace grounds, the ground here was dirt instead of grass. Off to one side was a large, shed-like structure. Even early in the morning, the grounds were filled with people practicing their magic and fighting skills. When they saw me, everyone stopped and turned. Then I heard a familiar voice.

"Prince Kalin!"

I turned to see Felix running up towards me. He was dressed in a navy blue t-shirt, black pants, and tan boots. He had a towel around his neck and a bow in his hand.

"Bonding with your elder brother I see," Felix said as he placed his arm around my shoulders.

"Uh, I guess so. He's just getting me some things from the weaponry."

"Ah! I see. Decided to show off your Nightingale skills, eh?"

"Er, well-"

Thankfully, Tristan saved me. "Father sent us a letter and gifts. He instructed me to get his weapons from the weaponry and give them to Kalin."

"Oh?" Felix dropped his arm and his eyes went wide. "Well then, don't let me stop you. But promise me you'll stay and practice for a while."

"I promise, Felix," I smiled.

He patted me on the back and Tristan led me to the shed on the other side of the grounds. The inside was even bigger than the outside. There were racks and shelves filled with weaponry. There were swords, daggers, bows, and staffs. There were even tonfas, sais, and nunchucks. There was also a bookshelf filled with what looked like spell books. As I stood there gawking at all the metalwork, Tristan made his way over to the back wall. On the back wall was a tapestry with the Nightingale crest. Underneath the tapestry were two small, protruding shelves, each with a covered weapon on them.

"Kalin," Tristan called. I turned to him. He waved me over. When I stepped next to him he said, gesturing to the covered weapons, "These are the weapons that Father wanted to give you."

Then he uncovered them. The ones on the top shelf were a pair of dual swords. They looked like something off of a video game. They were double-bladed long swords. Towards the hilts were curved, protruding blades. Also, on one sword, crafted from metal was a dragon, and on the other, a nightingale bird. The designs in the metalwork were intricate and well crafted. The sides of the grips were concaved. On the pommels were a crescent moon and a sapphire on the nightingale sword and a topaz on the dragon sword. There were two, specially made scabbards for the swords that covered the nightingale and dragon on each sword.

On the bottom shelf was a bow and a quiver of arrows. The bow was made of a strong, yet flexible wood. It looked like a geometric figure with bending and curving lines. But what was interesting was, looking at it closely, it was in the shape of a bird's wings. Also, next to the grip was a small, abstract, bronze figure of a nightingale, meant to be used as an aim. I was completely awestruck by both of them.

I picked up the sword with the nightingale and slid my hand across it. The metal was smooth, cool, and shiny. You could tell that it hadn't been used in years, maybe decades. The blades were still sharp and intact. I picked up the other sword. They were slightly heavy and surprisingly long; about the length of my leg from knee to foot. Then I realized what kind of metal it was.

"These are made of silver, aren't they?"

"That's right," Tristan nodded. "And so are the arrow points. So be careful when wielding the swords and shooting the arrows. Unless you want to turn into a pile of ash."

I laughed. "That's funny. Vampires wielding swords and arrows of silver. Sounds like a death wish to me."

"Maybe," Tristan shrugged. "But what's more effective than wielding weapons made of your race's greatest weakness? Especially when there's an even greater amount of conflict between clans. Besides, if we're careful, we kill our enemy, not ourselves."

"I guess so. Doesn't make me feel any better about it though."

"Honestly?" Tristan said. He grinned at me. "Me neither."

I rolled my eyes. "Hypocrite," I sang.

Tristan punched my arm and laughed. "Let's go before Felix wonders what's taking us so long."

"Right." I grabbed the bow and arrows and followed Tristan out of the weaponry.

Practice with Felix and the other militia members went by quickly. Safe to say, they were surprised by my amount of skill and talent. I quickly defeated the lower militia members one by one in sword on sword sparing matches then came to Felix. He put up a good fight. But in the end, I defeated him too. He wasn't very happy about that. So, he challenged me at archery. But, he lost there too. By that time, he was getting frustrated; obviously wondering how he could lose to both Alistair Nightingale _and _his middle son. The last of the areas to practice in was magic. Felix's skills with magic were above par. I almost got burnt, frozen, blown away, and crushed all at the same time. Not to mention electrocuted. He kept switching between elemental, physical, and psychic attacks. Fortunately for me, he didn't exactly excel in battle strategy. I was able to outwit him and find his weak points. I don't think he'll ever forgive me (or himself, for that matter) for losing. All in all, Felix was a very competitive man. And Tristan got a kick out of the whole thing.

After hitting the showers, Felix walked with us back to the common room. It seemed like he was over losing to me, but I wasn't so sure. If he could refuse to talk to my father for a month for losing in a fencing match I didn't doubt that he would hold a grudge against me. None the less, he seemed calm.

"Blimey. I have to hand it to you Prince Kalin," Felix sighed. "You sure can put up one hell of a fight."

"You can too, Felix. Especially in magic," I praised him back.

"But really though," Tristan grinned at me. "I had no idea you were that skilled in combat! You'd even be able to bump heads with Father!"

"If you say so…" That's when I remembered the letters. "Oh! Felix, I have a letter for you from Father. And I have one for Aunt Lilian, too."

"Oh really? Well then, if you give me both I'll deliver Lilian her letter as well."

"Alright."

When we reached the common room we found everyone tinkering with their gifts. The room was completely silent. Nathaniel was already scribbling and coloring away with his art set. Fiona was happily playing with her stuffed unicorn. Celine was examining her necklace. Raven and Salem were playing with a glass chess set with pieces that were in the shape of mystical creatures. Remy was piecing together a jigsaw puzzle. Danika was staring at what looked like a mirror encased in gold with rubies, jade, and pearls.

"Well!" Felix exclaimed. "Ol' Asterisk really knows how to keep you lot quiet, even from leagues away!"

No one said a thing. They were all too absorbed in what they were doing.

Felix looked to the heavens. "General, you've done it again, my friend. Such an impact from such a long way away."

"That's Father for you," Tristan said.

I laughed and walked over to the couch where the last two remaining letters laid. I picked them up and handed them to Felix. Felix looked at them and sighed.

"I can only imagine what words these contain," he said. He glanced at me and grinned. "Fretting, maybe, over the arrival of his middle son? That sure sounds like something he would put in a letter at a time like this."

"I'm guessing Father likes to take care of his fishes?" I wondered aloud, not really realizing what I had said.

"Eh? What fishes?" Felix and Tristan frowned in confusion.

Then it clicked. "Oh, sorry! It's just a Korean phrase. It means not leaving anyone out or unattended."

"In which case, yes," Felix laughed. "Not only does he 'take care' of his fishes, much rather he 'pampers' his fishes!"

The three of us laughed.

Finally, our presence was acknowledged by the others.

"Oh, hey," Celine said first. "Did you guys find what you wanted?"

"Sure did," I said holding up the swords and the bow and arrows.

"Wow!" Nathaniel and Remy exclaimed.

"Of course, Kalin got the best gifts," Salem rolled his eyes and moved his bishop, which was in the shape of a ghostly phantom. "Check."

"And the most," Raven added as she moved her knight, a Pegasus, in the way of Salem's bishop.

"They look dangerous," Fiona said as she stared up at the weapons. "You should be careful, Brother Kalin."

"You're telling me," I said. "In fact, I'd better go and put these up now."

"Kalin! When you get back will you help me with my puzzle?" Remy asked enthusiastically. "It's a twelve-hundred pieces and they're all blending together."

"Nuh uh! Kalin's gonna draw pictures with me!" Nathaniel shook his head, holding up a picture of a rainbow rose.

"But I wanted him to play with me!" Fiona cried out, clutching her stuffed toys.

Suddenly the three youngest started arguing amongst each other over who I would spend time with.

Felix whistled as Tristan leaned over to me and said, "Welcome to the Elder Child Club."

I groaned and decided I had better break up the argument. I put two fingers in my mouth, against my tongue and whistled loudly. Instantly, the noise was silenced.

"That's better," I sighed. "Now, I know you three all want me to play with you at the same time, but you have to realize something. In the four days I've been here, not once have I had the chance to just be by myself. Either I've been spending time with all of you or I'm being pestered by other people in the palace trying to get on my good side. And if it's not that, I have people left and right asking me questions and trying to give me advice. With that, there's something I need to do outside the palace. If not today, then tomorrow or some other day, but I promise I _will_ play with you all. Just not right now, okay?"

"Yes, Kalin," the three of them responded solemnly.

"Good," I sighed again. "I'll see you all later or tomorrow then."

"See ya, Kalin!" Tristan called as I left the common room.

"Be careful in town, Prince!" Felix reminded.

It was only now that I was alone that I realized just how big Palace Nightingale really was. I was able to make it back to my room, but getting to the front gate was another matter entirely. Since I first got here, I hadn't left the palace once. I had gone to a few places in the palace, but I mostly stayed in my room or the common room with my siblings and cousins. But now, I was completely alone.

I wandered around almost aimlessly, trying to find a feature of the palace that I recognized. I tried looking out windows to see where exactly I was, but then I realized the only outside places I had been was the training grounds, my balcony, and the front courtyard when I first arrived at the palace. So I just kept exploring the hallways and corridors of the palace, hoping that I would eventually stumble across the main staircase that led to the ground floor.

_Aigoo, _I sighed as I walked down a corridor that I had retraced three times already. _This is hopeless. I feel like I'm gonna be trapped here in the palace forever!_

I wasn't paying attention as I rounded a corner and rammed into a female housemaid carrying a basket full of clean linen, sending her backwards and me forwards. The housemaid squeaked in surprise as she hit the ground. The linen basket fell to the ground as well, scattering blankets and sheets across the floor. I shut my eyes and stuck out my arms, breaking my fall with my hands and forearms, preventing me from landing on her. When I opened my eyes again, the first thing I saw was a young and beautiful, feminine face framed with long, dark brown waves of hair, complimented by hazel-green orbs. Somewhere in the back of my mind her appearance registered as familiar, however, I was so shocked and embarrassed that I overlooked this fact completely. I realized that our noses were centimeters apart. Heat crawled its way up my neck and cheeks as I found myself staring into her eyes.

Quickly, I scrambled upright. I glanced at the clean linen strewn out over the floor. I hurriedly fought for my self-control and began to stand up, holding my hand out to her. Without really thinking about it, I apologized. _"Aish! I'm so sorry! I wasn't paying attention to where I was walking!" _

Only when she looked at me confusedly and said, "Excuse me?" did I realize I was talking in Korean.

That only made my face heat up again. I clamped a hand to my mouth and quickly thought up the translation of what I said. "Um, I'm very sorry. My mind was in the clouds. I should have been paying attention."

"Oh, um," she stumbled as she knelt down to pick up her laundry. "It's alright. I was in a hurry and wasn't paying much attention either."

I looked at the linen and the overturned basket. I bent down to pick up some of the sheets. "Here, let me help you."

I was folding the sheet in my hands when her hands shot towards mine. "No!"

Now it was my turn to look at her confusedly.

Like lightning, she withdrew her hands and bowed. "I'm sorry. Please forgive my rudeness, Young Master, but I cannot allow a prince such as yourself to do such meager work. It's my job anyway."

Her respective title towards me flicked a switch on in my mind. I smiled at her. "You're the stewardess that seated me at the banquet."

She looked surprised, as if it were the first time anyone of high class remembered her. "Uh…"

My smile brightened and I returned to folding the sheet. She tried to stop me again, but I stopped her before she could. "Please. I'm the one that ran into you. And you have such a large load. I'm happy to help."

Finally, she let a small smile shine through. "Thank you…" she said quietly.

It took us about five minutes to return all the laundry to the basket. In those five minutes, a handful of the palace residents passed us up. Some were surprised to see me helping her and others seemed to wonder if anyone had taught me how to act like a prince. I could tell that the young woman by my side was embarrassed, but that didn't stop me from helping her. After we were finished we stood up. I handed the basket to her.

"Thank you," she said again, curtsying.

"It's alright. And you don't have to curtsy to me," I smiled.

She looked confused but didn't say anything about it. "Well, um, I'd best be going now. I have a lot of work to do. Thank you again."

"You're welcome. But, I'm in a bit of trouble. Could you help me?"

"Uh, I'll try. What is it that you need help with?"

I looked around then looked back at her. "I'm trying to find the front courtyard. I have some things to do in town. But…" I scratched the back of my head and smiled weakly. "I'm lost."

She giggled. "I don't blame you. This is a rather large palace. It took me over a month to find my way on my own. I'd be happy to show you the way out, Young Master."

I sighed in relief. "Ah, thank you. I thought I was going to be trapped in here forever!"

She giggled again and started leading me. "So, um, if I may ask, how are you managing here at Palace Nightingale? I heard rumors that you grew up overseas. Is that true?"

"Yes, that's true." _More or less..._ "I've been doing alright, I suppose. Still getting use to life like this though."

"It doesn't seem easy being a prince," the girl said. "But it's not easy being a housemaid either."

"What's your name?" I asked out of the blue.

"I'm Elainea Blackwell. But you don't have to-"

"Elainea Blackwell. That's a pretty name."

"Um, thank you."

"A pretty name for a pretty girl," I said without thinking. She blushed, but I was too busy looking into her eyes.

"W-we're here," she stuttered.

I glanced over at the giant double doors with the Nightingale crest on it. "Ah. Thank you, Elainea. I don't think I would have gotten out of here without you. It was nice meeting you."

"You're welcome, Young Master. It was my pleasure." She curtsied a little and went on her way.

I sighed deeply and turned towards the doors. _Look out world, here comes Prince Kalin Nightingale..._

However, as soon as I stepped over the threshold of the doors, I found myself face-to-face with Luca Nightingale.

"Prince Kalin? And what business would _you_ have outside the palace?" he asked in an icy tone that I couldn't decide if it sounded suspicious or just indifferent.

"G-good morning Prince Luca. Um, I'm just going out for a leisurely stroll. I'm still not used to the palace, so I thought I'd go out for some fresh air," I made up quickly.

"I see..." He looked me over once. "And you have been fairing well lately, I assume?"

"Yes, sir. I thank you for your concern."

He shook his head slightly. "No concern. Just curious." I had not one clue what that meant. "Well, I must be going. I am rather busy today. Do be careful outside the palace walls. Creatures such as us can never be too careful."

With that, he brushed past me, the smell of peppermint and herbal tea hitting me like a gust of wind, almost making my eyes water. Even as I heard the doors slam shut, I was still frozen in place. My heart raced like a cheetah dashing across the plains of Africa. Luca Nightingale gave me the chills like nothing had ever done before. I decided on one thing at least: It would be wise of me to be wary of Luca, just like my father had said in his letter.


	10. The Ninth

"Sounds like you've had quite the time in the palace," Taehyung remarked after I recapped him and Mai on what all had happened since I arrived at the palace.

The three of us were in the medium sized room in the inn that Taehyung and Mai were staying in. Mai was at the small stove heating up water in a tea pot. Taehyung and I sat at a table in two soft chairs, talking as Mai stood by the stove and listened. We spoke freely in Korean.

The tea pot whistled. Mai handed me a saucer with a cup filled with tea with honey. It was slightly thick and sweet like hard candies you buy at the store in the candy isle. I licked my lips and smiled at her. "Ne," I answered Taehyung. "I feel so stressed by all of this, I don't know _how_ in the world I'm coping with everything that's going on."

"I'm glad you got to hear from Prince Alistair," Mai smiled as she sat on one of the two beds. "You must be so happy to know he knows you're safe and curious as to what he's like."

I just nodded, daydreaming about what it would be like when he finally came home.

"Good things aside, though," Taehyung sighed and leaned forward. "If Prince Alistair told Felix about you, himself, and Lady Rosaline, he must trust him quite a bit. So, other than Mai and myself, the only people who know about you are Elder Julian and Felix. Lady Alice, Princesses Lilian and Irene, and even your cousins and siblings, none of them know the truth. King Victor is gone as of now so we don't have to worry about him for a while. Elainea Blackwell seems too timid to prod into our affairs so she's no threat. But Prince Luca...He is _definitely_ someone to worry about."

Mai nodded. "He's not always what he seems. One moment he's uncaring, the next he's breathing down your neck and keeping you in check. He always seems to pop up unexpectedly, too."

"You can't do much about him. The best thing you _can_ do Kalin," Taehyung looked me in the eye seriously, "is stay away from him and observe him from afar. Be damned sure that he doesn't figure out you're a damphir. Especially a damphir by Lady Rosaline."

"...Luca..." I breathed, remembering the chills I had gotten from him. "He's going to be two handfuls to deal with. I can already tell."

Sensing my anxiety, Mai reached over and placed a hand on my shoulder. "Just trust your instincts Kalin. That's the best thing you can do for yourself. Remember that a vampire's instincts, whether they're a damphir or half-blood or a true-blood, are much stronger and acute than a human or a hunter's. Trust yourself, your instincts, and your heart and you'll be safe."

"Of course," Taehyung smiled, "it doesn't hurt to lean and rely on the people you trust, whether they know about you or not."

I sighed and stared into my cup of honeyed tea. "That's all fine and stuff, but..." I looked back up at the two of them. "I still don't understand how I'm supposed to bring peace to the world or even solve the dispute between us and the ShangYi. I don't even know what exactly I'm supposed to be doing. All I've been doing since I got here is hanging around the palace and hang around my cousins and siblings. If I'm really supposed to be some great, prophesied peacemaker, this is getting me nowhere."

"It's not you Kalin," Mai assured. "You just came at a bad time. Sure, Elder Julian and Felix are two people who will willingly and loyally support you, but the person you really should have talked to when you first got here was, not only Julian, but your father. Alistair has always been the decision maker and the ambassador for peace when it came to foreign affairs and things like this. He has always known which moves to make and when, as well as how. If Alistair were here now, he'd probably be whisking you off to some foreign country to play peacemaker, briefing you as you travelled. But since he's gone for the moment, you're just without a guide. And in a world like this, a guide is pretty much mandatory if you're hoping to get anywhere."

"Mai is right. You just wait till General Asterisk comes back. Then you'll be well on your way to fulfilling the prophecy. He'll guide you through thick and thin," Taehyung agreed.

"I just wish he were here _now_ that way he could guide me through my daily life as a vampire prince first."

As I walked back to the palace I couldn't help but wonder about my father and what things would have been like if he were here from the start. I thought of him and I bonding by practicing magic and fighting; of him teaching me all there was to know of the Nightingale Clan and this strange new world I belonged to; of him walking me step by step through my destiny. That lonely feeling was back, tugging at my heart. I wanted desperately for my family to be complete. I wanted my father home with me and my siblings. Most of all, I wanted the impossible; I wanted the comforting figure of my mother...

I didn't have too long to be depressed because as soon as I got back to the palace Felix was dragging me back to my room by my wrist. He had a serious look on his face. Also, in his other hand was a metal goblet with a lid covering it. I could do nothing but let him silently led me back to my room.

As soon as we were in my room he locked my door and pulled me over to my bed. "Felix?" I asked. "What's wrong?"

He sighed, tracing the designs on the goblet with the tip of his middle finger. "I really rather not be the one to explain these things to you, better off left to your father, but since he is currently not present and he requested this of me, I shall fulfill his wishes." He turned to me with the same serious expression. "Do you know anything about 'suitors'?"

"Suitors? Are you saying I have to marry someone?!" I was completely caught off guard.

Felix shook his head. "No. Not that kind of suitor. For vampires. The word 'suitor' has a different meaning. It is the name we give to a person who gives blood to a vampire. There is an entire system for this and it is very specific. Are you ready to hear this?"

I gulped. I knew this day was coming. "Y-yes."

He took a deep breath. "Each vampire who is a member of a clan, any clan, has to have a suitor who will provide him or her with a steady, set amount of blood each week on a set day. Each vampire has one suitor and each suitor belongs to one vampire. On the day the vampire is to take blood from their suitor, they are only supposed to take enough so the suitor's or the vampire's health will not be compromised. In other words, you are to take only what you need for the week until the next day you are to take blood from your suitor. Do you understand this?"

I nodded. "But, how will I know how much I need to take?"

Felix tapped his temple. "Instincts. Approximately the same as the feeling you get when you've had enough to eat at meal time."

I bit my lip and looked down.

"You have a question," Felix noticed. "Feel free to ask anything."

I looked back up at him embarrassed and nervous. "What...does it taste like?"

"It depends on the person. Vampires never taste the metallic taste of blood, unless there is something wrong with the vampire's senses or the human's blood quality. Instead, they...taste the person's essence, to put it one way. It's as though you can see into a person's mind and soul through their blood. Sort of similar to a psychic connection in a certain light. Also, a vampire can control how much or little of a person they see with their mind. However, when a vampire looks too deeply into a person's mind and soul they can lose their sense of reality and end up draining a person. When the vampire becomes addicted to this sensation it becomes bloodlust. Therefore, you have to be very careful about controlling yourself when you drink a person's blood, especially if you end up falling in love with the person."

"Is it easy…? Falling in love simply by drinking a person's blood, I mean?" I asked, kind of weirded out.

Felix nodded gravely. "Very easy. Especially for a true-blood. However, because you are a damphir, it will be easier to control yourself compared to true-bloods, but harder compared to half-bloods. Still, be careful." He took the lid off the goblet and handed it to me. "Here. The blood of your suitor. It will be easier when you actually drink from her if you taste her blood from a goblet first."

I took it and eyed the thick, crimson liquid inside. I could tell he had just taken it from the girl because it was still somewhat warm. Carefully, I inhaled a bit of its scent.. The smell of caramel, butterscotch, and roses hit me in the face like someone had punched me in the mouth, only the sensation was much more pleasant. Somehow, it was oddly familiar. It took every last bit of my self-control to keep myself from putting my entire face into the goblet. It was surprisingly easy, putting the goblet to my mouth. I decided it was because of the scent.

The crimson liquid slipped down my throat like melted chocolate but tasted twice-no, ten times-as good. The sensation reflected the scent in the oddest way; It was like licking buttery, melted caramel off of the petals of a rose. The whole experience was pure poetry that not even Shakespeare could put into words. Only one thought came to mind while drinking the goblet's contents: I could easily get used to this.

But then, suddenly, I was transported into another existence. Everything smelled of roses, clean linen, and other mixed scents. I found myself walking through the halls of a Palace Nightingale that seemed so different and detached and so far away. Every so often beings much more beautiful than even the moon and all its accompanying stars would walk by, not even sparing me a small, trivial glance. It was a lonely feeling, being ignored in such a way. Not in a deliberate way, but as if I didn't exist at all. Then, it was the strangest thing, seeing flashes of myself rush by fleetingly. At first, simple glances like a slide show. The flashes soon ended and eventually I found myself face-to-face with my own familiar smile, looking at my vampric features through the eyes of someone else.

I became curious as to the identity of the girl. Then, as if on command, my mind was pulled away from the girl's and I was now looking in third person at the moment not too long ago of me conversing with Elainea Blackwell. I was reliving that moment along the sidelines, viewing via Elainea's memory. I suddenly thought that maybe she was thinking of me when Felix took her blood. As Felix said I could, I tried to venture further into Elainea's mind, but, just as I was about to view another of her memories the sensation ended.

My eyes snapped open and I was back in my own mind. I sat there, petrified, unmoving, the goblet still touching to my lips, now stained a deep red, wetness trickling out of the corners of my mouth and down my chin. I had to sit there for a moment before I was able to move. I lowered the goblet and reached up to wipe my mouth. That's when I felt them. The fangs, sharp and deadly, protruding from my lips. Then I felt a soft cloth touch to my mouth. I turned to see Felix studying me carefully.

"Are you alright?" he asked. I nodded, more interested in touching my tongue to the long incisors in my mouth, careful not to pierce my tongue. "Focus and think of pulling them in." I did and, slowly, they retracted back up into my gums. I put my thumb to my teeth, feeling around. "A strange feeling, no?"

"Very strange..." I said quizzically. I looked up at Felix again. "My suitor...It's Elainea Blackwell. She seated me at the banquet and I just ran into her earlier before I went out. I saw us talking from her point of view."

"Very good. That's very intuitive of you. And, since you are so special to the future of this realm, I shall tell you this. Most of us vampires, especially those of us in the militia, find it useful to drink the blood of people we need information from. Of course, this is another thing that needs to be done with the utmost care. It can be very dangerous to do this. For you and for the person you are drinking from. This is only used as a last resort when time is of the essence. Remember this."

I nodded and licked my lips, the taste of Elainea's blood still lingering there. "What days do I take blood from her on?"

"Sundays. So the day after tomorrow you will drink from her directly for the first time."

"I see..." My mind was miles away.

"Well then," Felix said, taking the goblet from me and standing up. "I will leave you be. I'll see you again soon, Young Prince." He bowed a bit then left, leaving me to my thoughts.

I thought about what Felix said about falling in love by drinking someone's blood. Instantly, I wondered why the taste of Elainea's blood was so appealing to me. Caramel and butterscotch were most definitely two of my favorite candies. And roses...Well, the Nightingale flower was a rainbow rose, wasn't it? I couldn't make up my mind whether I thought that the taste was just me tasting what I wanted to or if that was a reflection of Elainea's personality and the taste being two of my favorite candies was just a coincidence.

Elainea wasn't just strikingly beautiful. She was sweet and gentle, like a rose. So, what could the caramel and butterscotch represent? Maybe...my attraction to her? Was I even attracted by her in that way? I didn't know. I sure would like to find out more about her. She seemed so interesting and compelling. And her blood was just...I didn't want to think of her in that way, like she was some sort of treat. But her blood, her mind, her soul, her _essence_ was intoxicating. I had to remind myself that addiction in vampires lead to bloodlust. The more I thought about the sweet, tasteful sensation I would get on Sunday, the more my heart raced and the more I craved that experience.

Thankfully, in barged Irene and instantly my mind was off of Elainea's blood. "Hello, my young Prince Kalin! How are you?" she sang, skipping over to me and pulling me into a tight little hug.

"Hello, Irene. I'm doing fine. How are you today?"

"Oh, I'm perfectly fine, but enough about me!" Irene seized my hand and gazed at me with twinkles in her eyes. "How about you and I go into town for the day?"

"But, uh, I already went into town today-"

"That's alright! We can go again together! Besides, I noticed you don't have many clothes, let alone ones fit for a prince. So, I'm going to take you to one of the best tailors in all of London today and then we can go and buy things to spruce up this room of yours. Sound good?"

"Ah…well," I fidgetted under her demanding (and yet somehow innocent) gaze. "I guess that would be fine."

"Great! I'm all set to go and it looks like you are too, so let's take our leave now!" Irene bounced up and dragged me out the door, grabbing my coat off the rack on the way out.

I sure was getting dragged around a lot today.


	11. The Tenth

"Ouch! Would you stop poking me with those things?!" I snapped at the tailor Irene had brough me to.

At the moment I was standing on some sort of stool in nothing except my underwear with my arms lifted straight out. Safe to say my arms ached, my pride was severely hurt, and I was pretty sure my face and neck were a brilliant shade of red. I was really missing all of the stores and fashion warehouses back in Seoul in the modern era at the moment. First the tailor measured virtually every lenth and bend of my body, now he was throwing pieces of fabric over me and sticking them together with tailor pins. This was completely ridiculous.

"With all due respect, Young Prince, you are the one who is squirming around like he has a thorn in his side," the young brown haired tailor said to me. I just growled. "Is this really your first time having clothes tailored?"

"Yes, so I would really appreciated it if you watch where you're sticking those pins of yours," I said to him.

"And I would appreciate it if you would stay still," he cocked back, sticking another pin in the cloth that whe was wrapping around me.

"Ow! That one was on purpose, wasn't it!?"

The tailor sighed and just continued to pin the pieces of fabric together.

Irene giggled from her chair off to the side. "Kalin sure is a fiesty one, isn't he Erik?"

"You're telling me. It seems I've met my match."

"In attitude or tailoring skills?" I mumbled, only to get stuck with another pin.

"There! Alas, I have finished one!" Erik stepped back to admire his work.

Of course, he meant he was finished with a design, not the entire outfit. Judging from all of the pieces he had pinned together, the outfit was going to be a classic British outfit from this time period only more sophisticated and royal with the Nightingale colors. There was a stark white dress shirt with a golden-tan vest with silver buttons and royal blue trimming, a navy blue jacket with gold trimming, buttons, snaps, and the Nightingale Crest as cuff-links on the wrists. The pants were a soft, yet slick material that was stretchy and easy to move around in. They were golden-tan with royal blue and silver trimming to match the vest. And the boots; I was loving the boots. I wasn't wearing them, but they were shiny and made of black leather with silver buckles around the shins. The trimming around the bottom was gold. They had a small heel, but not high enough so it would make them difficult to walk in. As accessories, Erik had set aside a white and navy blue trimmed neck scarf (like the old British ones that were kind of bushy) and a silver and gold pocket watch.

"It is perfect! You look like a true prince now!" Erik clapped his hands proudly.

"Well don't you look handsome!" Irene gushed. "What do you think, Kalin?"

I gave myself a careful one over in the mirror in front of me. "I think I can get used to this."

"Wonderful!" Erik said. "Now, this particular outfit is for your politcal trips like peacekeeping and such. Strictly business only. Also I'll make a few other outfits of the same style, and a couple different styles as well, for your trips. On top of that, I'll style up other outfits for other occasions." Erik got this mischievous and ambitious look in his eyes. "Prince Kalin Nightingale, by the time I'm done with you, you'll be the most best dressed prince in the entire palace!"

"Uh…y-you don't have to go through all that, now," I suddenly felt self-conscious.

"Nonsense!" he said, walking up to me and easing me out of the clothing pieces so the pins wouldn't come out. "You are the Great Rulers of London's lost prince! All the attention is on you. And if all the attention is on you, you want to look your best. And, as such, it is my responsibility to dress you as brilliantly endowed as possible without seeming like you are completely full of yourself. You must look just as noble and sophisticated as all of the other princes and princesses that have spent all their born days in that palace. Princess Irene brought you here to me for that reason and that is what I shall accomplish today. No exceptions!"

I sighed in defeat. "Thank you, sir."

"That's Sir Erik Redwood. Sir Erik, preferrably. However, for a prince such as yourself and as Princess Irene's cousin, you shall simply address me as Erik."

"Right. Thank you, Erik."

"The honour is all mine," Erik smiled at me genuinely as he went off into the back of his enormous studio. "Irene, darling, you are free to browse around my collection for other endowments that might interest you and Prince Kalin."

"Have anything new?" Irene called back as she stood up to stroll over to an area behind a curtain that was decorated much like an old fashion house (actually, to me, it _was_ an old fashion house).

"Of course. Help yourself."

"And what do I do?" I asked, seemingly to the walls around me, still standing on the stool in my underwear.

"You are to stay put. I'm not finished with you yet," Erik called back.

"Great…" I muttered and grumbled under my breath. "_More_ pins."

After being stuck a plethora of times by tailor pins and covered in elegant drapes of twelth or thirteenth century fabrics, I was finaly free to step down off the stool and get dressed, to my extreme gratitude. Erik was back in his workshop working his tailor's magic on all dozens of outfits he had pinned together (both on and off of me). While Erik was busy sewing and seaming, Irene and I were searching his collection of professionally tailored fashions that I found out he was willing to sell…for a price.

"What about this one Kalin?" Irene asked, holding up a casual red jacket with silver buttons and cuff-links.

"It's nice. I like the color," I said simply and she threw it over onto a chair that was already filled with items that she had picked out for me. "Irene, don't you think this is enough?"

"Not nearly! We still have to pick you out some sleepwear!"

I had to keep myself from asking her if I could just sleep in a t-shirt and shorts. She probably would have looked at me like I had gone mental. "Fine, but that's it. I already have no idea what I'm going to do with all of this _plus_ what all Erik is makig for me. And I want to pick them out myself."

"Alright then," she sighed, probably bummed out that her shopping spree was coming to an end.

We came across the area where the sleepwear was kept and I made it quick and picked out a few tops and bottoms that were cut off below the knee. Irene didn't look too happy but dealt with my choices anyway.

Erik must have been a magic worker because it was only two hours later when he came out with all of my tailored suits and outfits draping over his arms and shoulders. He set them down over a couch and a few chairs and went back into his workshop for the accessories and footwear. The moment I glanced at everything he had made for me I instantly was thankful that I was royalty, because otherwise I would not have been able to pay for all of this.

"Well," Erik sighed as he stood with his arms folded, gazing at all of his work. "That was a bit of a challenge, but nothing I couldn't handle."

"A challenge? You finished all of that in two hours and that was a _challenge_?" I was completely baffled and in awe. "Who _are_ you?"

Erik smirked at me. "Why, I'm the Nightingale Clan's royal tailor of course. Knighted by Queen Alice herself three centuries ago. Of course, they let me keep my shop here in town so all of London could enjoy my work, not just them. I make a trip into the palace once a month to take and fill orders for the clan and all of their advisors and friends who live there. I make quite a living, if I do say so myself."

"Ah," I said simply. It all made sense now. Of course someone as skilled as Erik would be sought out and knighted by London's ruling vampire clan. "So if you did all of this in two hours, how long does it take to tailor the entire palace?"

"A week, give or take," he said. However, he didn't give me time to be surprised because he picked up an outfit and walked over to me. "Alright now, time to test out your new wardrobe. Come on now. Hurry up!"

And so, once again, I was forced out of my clothes. It took at least half an hour for me to try on everything he had tailor made for me and for him and Irene to "ooh" and "aah" at how I looked in everything. Of course, I loved everything he made for me, but I was just simply tired of dressing and undressing. But, unfortunately, after I tried on the clothes Erik had made for me, he wanted me to try on everything Irene and I had found in his collection so he could give us "his professional advice and approval".

I swear, I've never seen someone so full of themselves before. What I found even more surprising was that he wasn't rude or snobby about it. He was just simply proud of himself. I couldn't deny that I admired that about him. Maybe I should have taken a lesson from his pride. I felt that I should be proud of who I was just like he was proud of who he was. And so I resolved to be more proud of myself and where I came from. I decided that that would be what my parents and everyone in the palace would want and expect from me.

After I tried on everything and Irene and Erik gave me their yay or nay, Erik instructed me on which occasion each set of outfits were tailored for. I commited that to memory as I looked over all of my elaborate and exquisite new clothes. Irene paid Erik and he carefully folded the clothes and placed them in giant woven bags that were more like baskets to me.

"Now then, Prince Kalin, I think you are officially ready to look like a Nightingale Prince. So go out and look like one. And if you ever need something tailored you just come and see me, yes?"

"Yes. Thank you again, Erik," I smiled at him.

He smiled back, his bluish-green eyes sparkling. "You are most very welcome, Prince Kalin. Irene darling, you make sure you and the rest of the Clan take good care of this boy. He's a gem."

"Of course, Erik. We shall see you again sometime," Irene agreed, picking up all the bags stuffed with my clothes and shoving me out of Erik's shop.

"Look your best!" Erik called out as we left the store.

I was definitely going to fit in here in ancient London. Especially with people like Erik Redwood's help.

After Erik's tailoring shop, Irene dragged me all around London in one of the Clan's personal carriages as we hit numerous shops, picking out unique items for my room that reflected my personal taste. By the time we were finished and resting at an expensive eatery, we had picked out some light blue drapes for my balcony windows, dark gray curtains for my four post bed, and a couple of golden tapestries that had the Nightingale Crest handsewn into them. But the decorations didn't end there. There were ceramic oil lamps, golden-yellow and blue throw rugs with intricate designs, sweet and flowery smelling toiletries for the bathroom, cushions for the couches and pillows for my bed, an oak chest for me to fill with whatever I pleased, and several other trinkets and collectables that I had picked out. After that was a bookstore where I picked out anything that even remotely interested me, just like I would back in the modern era. Overall, it had been a very exhausting shopping trip.

"Wow…" I sighed as plates and saucers filled with food were placed before Irene and I. "This is all just…I don't know what to say."

"A simple 'thank you, Irene' will suffice," she smiled at me as she sipped her glass of wine.

"Thank you, Irene. Really. It is all too great," I smiled back at her.

"Anything for my dear cousin and the son of Alistair." At the metion of my father's name I frowned down at my plate of food fit for a king. "He will be back soon, Kalin. You just have to be patient."

I gave her a sad smile. "I know. But that doesn't make it any easier."

Irene nodded in understanding. "You'll feel better when he's back here to guide you. I heard that you were being raised in Korea by a couple who opposed the conflict between us and the ShangYi. And that someone had sealed your powers as well." So that was the story that was formulated. "It must have been hard, living your life there as a normal boy when you should have been growing up here as a vampire with your family, your true family. I can't imagine what you must be going through; what the change must have felt like, what it _still_ feels like. But I assure you, once Alistair is back, you will feel much more complete and at home."

"Thank you," I said softly, picking at my food. "I just need to get my mind off of my situation for a while, until he _does_ come home. _Then_ I'll worry about everything else." I said that most to myself, since Irene would know nothing of the truth and the prophecy.

"That's the spirit. So after we eat to our content here, you should busy yourself with your decorations and your new wardrobe."

"Right," I chuckled, facinated that she could go straight from being solemnly serious to brightly optimistic.

And that's exactly what I did. After our meal, Irene and I were driven back to the palace in the horse drawn carriage and she helped me carry all of my things up to my room. After that, she left me to myself to do what I pleased with my new belongings. As I placed things here and there, wherever seemed right, I got a new sense of home and belonging, since I had basically came here with nothing but the clothes on my back. I had to leave all of my books and possessions. Now, I had new possessions and new books to obsess over. When I was done, I sat down exhaustedly on my bed and gazed around my newly decorated room with a sense of pride and contentment.

Once I was happy with the way I had arranged things, I headed out and towards the common room in search of my siblings and cousins, deciding that I had made them (especially Fiona, Nathaniel, and Remy) wait long enough to spend time with me. For the rest of the evening until we all had to turn in for the night, I busied myself with entertaining the three young ones and conversing with the elder children. Fiona had ended up falling asleep in my arms and Remy and Nathaniel on the couch behind me. I handed Fiona over to Tristan and quietly slipped out and back to my room. I dressed into my nightclothes, closed the balcony curtains, snuffed out the oil lamps, and slipped into the comforting comfines of my bed. I drifted off into a deep, dreamless sleep, happy and content with the way my new life as a vampire prince was turning out.


End file.
